1997-2000: When 'Hating' the Miami Heat Made Sense

Having something to say about the woes of the Miami Heat is as easy as breathing in the blogosphere. This team of Superfriends or the new and rapidly-overdone “Two and a Half Men” has hit some bumps, even being overshadowed by an opponent whose pursuit of excellence eclipsed their significant win that broke a five-game losing streak.

When Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra told the media that at least one player began crying after the loss to the Chicago Bulls, it seemed as if there was a far greater reason to not only ‘hate’ on them, but to bring out the Dr. Drew types of the sports world; pop psychiatrists who want to gain some deeper analysis of the mental states of the players. And of course, many of you have come across this through Twitter, where the jokes have been non-stop (though some are rather funny).

There’s no need to do the rundown of how affixed, agitated and admittedly attracted we’ve become to the Heat. From the media coverage to the social media schadenfreude, we’ve taken such a liking to the suffering of this collection of players that not a day goes by without a new meme circling the Internet that further demeans them. Or just Chris Bosh.

It’s gotten absurd to the point that this longtime Knicks fan wishes for the days when ‘hating’ the Miami Heat actually made sense.

For those who need a history refresher, let’s take it back to where it all started. A fax machine at Madison Square Garden.

Courtesy of MSG.com

On June 15th, 1995, Pat Riley – the original persona non grata to NYK fans before Larry Brown, Stephon Marbury and Isiah Thomas – faxed an unexpected resignation as head coach to the team brass. Unexpected because no matter what media may say in retrospect (because they always know all along, right?), there was not a fan across the globe that could understand why Riley would leave the team. After missing out on the team’s first NBA crown since 1973 in the 1994 Finals, New York lost a bitter seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinal series to the Indiana Pacers, a team that the Knicks would have unquestionably met again had Riley not left after the infamous Patrick Ewing missed finger roll.

It wasn’t just that he resigned; having been so close to a title after winning championships with the Los Angeles Lakers might have driven him over the edge in a city obsessed with the Orange and Blue at the time. It was that he resigned to obtain more power with a franchise desperate for relevance.

Now, Miami has never been revered as a passionate sports town, adulation for those championship Dolphins teams and the walking first & second rounds of the NFL Draft called the Hurricanes withstanding. It’s probably gotten worse when you consider that in the past fourteen years, the Florida Marlins won two World Series championships, the Florida Panthers made a Stanley Cup Final in 1996 and only thirty people can recall getting title fever for either team.

Contrast that to a city not known for great weather, unbridled optimism, five borough unity and pristine beaches. A championship parade in New York would have been the biggest, loudest and most joyous New York City had ever held.

After being swept in the first round by arguably the best NBA team of all time, the 1998 Chicago Bulls, Riley reimaged his new empire in a similar mold to his former fiefdom up north. The entire playbook was built around a true center (Alonzo Mourning as Patrick Ewing), a heady point guard with hand-checking skills (Tim Hardaway as Derek Harper), an enforcer at power forward (P.J. Brown as Charles Oakley) and a borderline mad man on the perimeter shooting threes (Dan Majerle as John Starks). There were many other interchangeable parts, mostly at small forward (Jamal Mashburn as a less rugged, better shooting version of Anthony Mason) and key bench positions.

In what became the defining rivalry of the 1990s, the Knicks and Heat played some the ugliest, but honestly enthralling basketball you may ever see in your life. Both teams were vilified for what was suddenly termed “Rileyball”; a physically punishing, defensively-driven, “Lane? What lane?” game. Never mind that neither team possessed the offensive talents of Riley’s Laker squads of the 1980s; in fact, few teams in NBA history could roll out three Hall of Famers on the starting lineup (Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy). Never mind that defensive bullies ran shop in the league long before Riley taught Majerle how to foul or Starks how to head butt Reggie Miller.

The pieces did change over the years. Don Nelson – who couldn’t trade Ewing and made Mason a point forward in his Nellieball scheme – quickly became Jeff Van Gundy, a famed Riley lieutenant. The Heat rolled out several foils off the bench for New York; Voshon Leonard, Isaac Austin, Anthony Carter (current Knick), Clarence Weatherspoon (eventual former Knick) and Bruce Bowen. These guys annoyed the hell out of Knicks fans because of singular moments from behind the backboard shots to hard fouls that were sparingly called.

The Knicks had guys that still tick off Heat fans to this day: the Save Patrick campaign of the late 1990s introduced Miami to Marcus Camby, Kurt Thomas (who gave Mourning hell during practices as a member of the Heat), Chris Childs and Charlie Ward. Yet, no players boiled the blood of Heat fans quite like the triumvirate of Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell and Larry Johnson.

Their moments speak for themselves.







There were few times in the NBA annals that two teams could claim an absolute hatred for one another. The Heat-Knicks rivalry was so intense that not this been a regulated professional league, individual contributions on either side could have started riots in senior leagues at Boca Raton and middle schools in Syosset. Save for the Georgetown men of Ewing and Mourning – longtime friends that still had dinner with each other after playoff games – these guys could have held mixed martial arts matches just as well as basketball games to release their rage towards one another.

They shared space in the same Atlantic Division, with Miami winning the division crown four years in a row from 1997-2000. They also met in four straight postseasons during that span of Heat regular season dominance; with each series going the full limit of games. In those Aprils and Mays, New York got the upper hand when it counted; three series wins and 13-11 record in all 24 games). You know the moments, even if you want to erase them from your memory. It wasn’t basketball at its purest or most aesthetically pleasing for those fawning for Michael Jordan’s fade away jumpers. It was like watching the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers playing each other every other day for two weeks; entertainingly violent, hideous and enthralling.

Probably the best words ever spoken on those days come from the outstanding Free Darko book, “The Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History”. Joey Litman said of the rivalry:

“This ugly, malevolent basketball nonetheless aroused so much passion because the theater was authentic and the enmity real. Miami’s Tim Hardaway once said of the Knicks, “I hate them with all the hate you can hate with”. Michael Jordan and the other pretty things of the 1990s may have been pretty and esteemed, but they also held themselves beyond reach, sacrosanct like works of art. The Knicks and Heat played different basketball, the sort that for all of its flaws, was terrestrial, tangible, attainable. It invited fans to experience the rivalry in a more personal manner. Knicks-Heat had an emphatic quality: The players didn’t do anything special – they were just like us, only more so. A common fan couldn’t bang with Charles Oakley, but he certainly understood the floor-bound brutishness in a way he couldn’t understand David Robinson’s assault on physical laws. Fans were free to see the Knicks and Heat as human – humans engaging in a conflict filled with raw, recognizable emotion, especially anger.”

And goodness, there was anger.

So, why the walk down memory lane?

When LeBron James signed with the Heat, he took on American sports’ public enemy number one; for better or worse. For many, it would have been easy to ‘hate’ if he signed with the Knicks; all things New York unearth an often irrational resentment from the rest of the country, but the City itself can take that in stride.

If he signed with a team like the Los Angeles Clippers, despite the potentially great young nucleus of Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Eric Gordon, he would have been a part of the NBA’s longest-running punch line. After all, how often do you find yourselves saying “but it’s the Clippers”?

If he signed with Chicago, it would have been ego running rampant. He just had to play in the House Michael Built. He just had to one-up the living legend. He just had to be a global icon where Jordan became an actual global icon.

No matter what reporters have said in retrospect, not a soul outside of James, Riley, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh knew that James would sign with Miami. Remember, the Heat was supposed to lose Wade to Chicago and Bosh was supposed to be a compliment player to anywhere either Wade or James would go to, right? Yet, the Heat, with an apparently apathetic fan base and far too many warm-weather distractions to inspire passions like their northern neighbors, nabbed all three of them for the next six seasons.

‘Hating’ the Heat in 2011 seems too easy, contrived and without roots. It’s the NBA’s version of culture vulturism; something people latch onto in order to get attention or feel part of the inside joke so many seem to be in on. There’s no question that The Decision, Riley’s history and the Miami sports fan base make for an interesting brew while we as fans and media (bloggers count) happily stir the pot.

Yet, not too long ago, there was an actual reason to ‘hate’ the Miami Heat. It had less to do with ill-fated announcements, Trending Topics and arenas not being filled to capacity. It had to do with one slick-haired, Armani suit wearing, brilliantly conniving Hall of Fame head coach that wanted more than another legacy-enhancing championship.

Halftime (I)

Can you believe that one-half of 2009 has already passed by?

In some sports depots around the country, this year can’t end soon enough (talking to you, Detroit and Washington DC, despite your successful NHL teams). In others, the fun shouldn’t stop (the state of Pennsylvania and the city of Los Angeles). However, as we move into the second half of the year, there are six more months for a city/town to experience nirvana. There are also six more months for a city/town to discover sports’ version of The Ninth Circle.

You will undoubtedly read, listen to and watch a plethora of previews, mock fantasy drafts and ‘fearless’ predictions as all of the inactive leagues return this fall. If you’re fortunate to have a team in the active sports still in a playoff chase, you’ll certainly get swept up in the push for the postseason and beyond. However, between today and tomorrow, here are a few stories that you should keep an eye on as summer cools into fall and fall freezes into winter.

Today will be a general look at the sports industry while tomorrow will take on specific games.


“You know? I could do without the senior prom.”: For starters, there has been much made in recent weeks about gifted young athletes (and their families) trying to capitalize on their talents sooner than American society has traditionally expected them. Those of us who have followed sports long enough are certainly aware that leaving college early or forgoing it entirely is nothing new. However, there are players who are forgoing their senior years in high school because they feel that there’s not much left to accomplish at that level.

Bryce Harper and Jeremy Tyler are going to grab those GEDs and take faster tracks to their lofty professional goals. The ultimate senioritis, if you will. This has the “get your education” crowd up in arms because as opposed to dealing with athletes who rather pass on being essentially rented by colleges, now they have to contend with those see little opportunity to mature against players they routinely dominate.

While the next six months are far too short of a time to answer these questions, hopefully, we can finally ask what our country seems to avoid; Why is it such a problem for kids with NBA dreams – or truthfully, American kids – to take a different path where prodigies of nearly every other sport save football can get a leg up on their pro careers without a college degree? Will Harper, Tyler and many others who will follow be better players for the extra year they are giving themselves? Most of all, is it time to redefine, if not eradicate amateurism as we know it?



“Recession-proof? Yeah, right.”: There is this long-held belief that both sports and alcohol are recession-proof industries as the consumer demand is supposed to be so strong and insatiable that it will buoy both business through the tough times. Yet, you can’t change the channel or read something online without noticing beer ad after beer ad after hard liquor ad during programming that historically strayed from those spots.

Not too long ago on Scribe (via Advertising Age), you may have read about NBA teams taking advantage of relaxed rules about liquor ads in stadiums and team paraphernalia. MLB and the NFL have a longstanding relationship with the liquid courage producers – you can even say that those leagues were founded on them – but they have given those companies more opportunities to advertise. Even ESPN has taken to adding more hard liquor companies to sponsor and integrate their products into their shows and broadcasts.

This may reek of desperation or speak to a well-designed strategy, but with so many media and entertainment vehicles hitting them up for money, is when will the alcohol well run dry? Also, with the controversial, but effective means of PETA in terms of the Michael Vick scandal, should we expect organizations like MADD and the NCADD to pressure the NFL in light of Donte’ Stallworth’s vehicular manslaughter?




“Geez, did he really say that?”: A few weeks ago, you read about a rich-media application currently being used by the New England Patriots to keep fans abreast of their comings and goings. This came about because of a previous discussion on social media as the NFL used fake MySpace and Facebook profiles as part of background checks on draft prospects. Now as players, coaches, even teams and commissioners are gravitating to Twitter, there has been plenty of news about what’s being said on the micro-blogging service. Unfortunately, it’s not always for the right reasons.

Social media – more specifically, Twitter – is something that we are still trying to understand, if not, master. As Yahoo!’s Charles Robinson points out, there are some pros and cons of these figures being able to use 140 characters to speak their minds without a middle man (which isn’t all that bad, despite the access I have through the Beacon). Within the last few days, we’ve read a Twitter war of words between the Cincinnati Bengals’ Chad Ochocinco and Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers, we found that Dwayne Wade may not be getting a NAACP Image Award any time soon (a screen cap of an n-word laden tweet was removed) and Charlie Villenueva may be a free agent because of his Tweets… okay, so maybe not the last one.

Some of you probably have your own accounts to follow your friends and family, favorite athletes and entertainers, media figures and bloggers. Because of that, I must ask the all-important question: is this only the beginning thanks to its increased use from our stars or has Twitter jumped the shark?

And if you’re wondering, Facebook is just enough for me and Scribe.

Say What?!?!: It’s been quite a while since you’ve been treated to a video. While it’s not going to be the most anticipated video posted on this blog (from the new Yankee Stadium), I hope you enjoy what’s to come tomorrow night/Thursday morning.

Valuable

I kept the MVP poll there for a while for two reasons:

• To pump up the numbers even more. My hopes were that there would be some Yao Ming effect on the poll just to shamelessly gain traffic.
• To wait for at least the NBA to announce the winner of the award, who was unsurprisingly, Cleveland swingman LeBron James.

What James has done this season, in fact, since his arrival in the league six seasons ago, has been nothing short of remarkable for a player whose pre-NBA hype was borderline insufferable back in 2003. While the basketball media has done what it could to put James in the Jordan mould with each point, assist and rebound, there is no question that he has met every challenge presented to him head on both on- and off-the-court to at least keep pace with the media and fan love he's received.

With each season, James has improved some aspect of his game to become arguably - let this be said again, arguably - the best basketball player on the planet. With the experience of two Olympiads, a humiliating NBA Finals and the state of Ohio on his shoulders, the man has proven to the world that he is capable of becoming more than

Yet, the Cavaliers were expected to be the best team in the Eastern Conference and possibly the entire league all season long. James ould have won the award each of the last two seasons (certainly when pushing his team through a regular season that lead to the Finals appearance in 2007). Yet, while he has had the superb numbers for much of the past few years, he did so with a more cohesive supporting cast (including a very strong guard combination of scoring guard Mo Williams and the underrated Delonte West) that has built upon the experience of the last two postseasons.

This is definitely a team that would fall apart at the seams without James as he is a unique talent who provides matchup hell for 2s (shooting guards), 3s (small forwards, his natural position) and guard/forward tweeners (players who can alternate between at least the shooting guard and small, if now power forward position). Yet, the basketball media felt that his expected performance provided more to the overall team's expected performance than another player's season that pulled his team from the lowest of depths.

In other words, how Dwyane Wade did not garner greater consideration for MVP than he was, is a bit baffling.

The Miami Heat were supposed to have been a lottery team again this season, chalking up losses in hopes of grabbing a big man dominant in the college ranks such as Blake Griffin or dump salaries and hit the reset button for the 2009-10 season. Yet, Wade took the on-court helm of one of the youngest rosters in the league (with a new coach and salary cap concerns, mind you) into the five-seed and within shouting distance of the Southeast Division crown for in the middle of the season. He and rookie Mario Chalmers had the top defensive backcourt all season while he was gunning for the scoring title. Yet, because the Heat were not as 'sexy' as the Cavs, it seems as if what should have been a close race for the league's top individual honor felt more like those required-by-law interviews for a job that's already been filled.

Even more strange was that Kobe Bryant was second behind James in MVP voting. The 2007-08 MVP was in top form himself, but in terms of individual and team expectations, not much differed in his campaign to that of LeBron's with the exception of a deeper bench.

While it may appear that this post is protesting James' capture of the award, it's more or less posing the same question as the poll that inspired it: what's in a Most Valuable Player? Is it about being the best player on what has been considered the best team in the league before and during the season as Tim Duncan had done in the early part of his career? Is it about having a statistically historic season, no matter how the team performs (as in Alex Rodriguez in 2001 for a lowly Texas Rangers squad or even Tom Brady for the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots in 2007)? Is it about tantalizing the masses while bringing a franchise back into the national conscious as Steve Nash did not too long ago? Or is it about taking a team on the way to nowhere and having it challenge contenders and preseason perceptions as Wade proved this season

According to voters in most sports, the V in MVP is always up for debate.

Noise

From watching what had been a pretty physical Game 5 in Atlanta between the hometown Hawks and the visiting Miami Heat, the most intriguing facet of the game was not necessarily how should-be-but-won't-be-MVP Dwayne Wade tried to pull himself from back spasms, but how much the crowd reactions had or had not affected the game.

In the first half, Wade collided with Joe Johnson Josh Smith when going for a loose ball. With the Heat star writhing on the ground, the Hawks faithful took no issue with booing. Mike Fratello, the former coach and TNT color commentator, questioned the crowd’s motive behind letting their feelings be known at that instant.

On a fast break in the early part of the second quarter, a trailing Wade tried to block the ball from Atlanta’s Maurice Evans as he rose for a fast break dunk. With both players having fallen to the floor – Evans hitting his head on Wade’s right knee en route to the floor – the crowd lustily booed again. Fratello reiterated his apparent frustration with the crowd reaction, but in this instance, he mentioned that the fans may have believed that they could influence the officials into calling a flagrant foul on Wade (which they did moments later).

I mention these two scenarios because while the Hawks took their South Florida rivals to the woodshed nearly from the outset, it appeared that maybe, just maybe, the crowd set the tone for how the game would be played and officiated. Yet, I wonder what you all think. Have all the hollering, booing and thundersticking ever had an affect on the games you attended in person?

Say What?!?!: By the way, if you're on Facebook and you have yet to do so, join the network.

Forgotten?

No video from the old and new Yankee Stadiums thanks to an all-day rainstorm that won't let up until tomorrow morning in the northeast.

Yet, it was still a day off from the hustle and bustle, including some writings that desperately need some editing. Instead, if you do not enjoy the benefits of NBA League Pass, you missed this incredible third quarter from Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony (courtesy of the league's YouTube channel).



It was phenomenal indeed, but it brings up the question; has Anthony faded from the conscious of the basketball fan - having been so far surpassed by Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and these days, Chris Bosh - or is there too little attention paid to his game? Thoughts? Leave them here.

Damn...

As said in a email to a few friends/readers... this just sucks.



Now for some slightly more upbeat or at least... well, you decide.

Many thanks to the original uploaders of both videos... but I'm not going to eat the head.

I think we just found the newest chant in every arena the Rockets play in for the rest of the season.



And finally, before abandoning you all for the rest of the TNT NBA doubleheader: the topping off of the ginormous new digs for the Dallas Cowboys. As the son of a construction worker, I can appreciate the gesture of letting the folks who helped build this place leave their John Hancocks on the last beam.

One of the things that my dad took pride in more than the actual construction - whether he was walking on steel beams, operating the machinery or pulling together crews - was being able to show his children what his calloused hands helped erect. The pride that these people must feel - no matter how anyone feels about the team, owner Jerry Jones or the politics behind the project - cannot be measured in mere words.

Respect due.

Knowledge

Due to taking in a weekend excursion away from the hustle and bustle, there won’t be much to talk about on A Sports Scribe until at least Monday. Yet, while in transit, a few things popped to mind.

For starters, I can’t remember people talking so much about a quadrennial event before. If you think I’m talking about the Presidential elections, think again. Everywhere I turn, be it in New York or Newton, MA or Providence (hints of the excursion), Michael Phelps’ exploits have been the instant conversation starter. The dominance of both the U.S. men and women’s basketball squads has piqued the interest of even the most ardent pro-basketball detractors. Some of you may consider giving beach volleyball a shot, at least as the summer fades into the fall.

For all of the nasty controversies surrounding the Beijing Olympics, they have managed to capture excitement that hasn’t truly existed Stateside since the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta; an event made infamous by the tragic bombings. Maybe it’s the high-tech swimsuits, the fire hydrant-like statures of the male gymnasts (they’re short, but JACKED!) or Dwayne Wade’s aerodynamically-altered hair. Yet, when was the last time you’ve heard these gems on your way to work (forgive the Stuart Scott moment for those who don't sip that cup of tea, but I'm from and still live in the 'hood):

"Yo, son, did you see that synchronized diving sh*t last night?”
“Hell yeah! That sh*t’s crazy. Same time, my dude. That’s crazy”
“When those Chinese chicks did that spinning (acts out the spinning with his hands), I was like DAYMN!"

OR

“Hey, John, I’ll send you those competitive runs in a few minutes once I clean up the Excel a bit.”
“Sounds good. By the way, did you watch the Olympics last night?”
“I watched until about midnight because I had to wake up early.”
“You’re real good about that because…”
“Let me guess: you stayed up.”
“Until 2.”
“It’s Tuesday.”
“Phelps, man. Phelps.”

Have you ever checked the mail and asked yourself “why the hell do I subscribe to this magazine again”? Then, it hits you; you subscribed because the annual price was next to nothing and you got a free choctchkey out of it. Of course, there has to be much more to it. After all, you’re not going to grab just any magazine, but one that is going to enhance your knowledge or at least give you the kick in the pants to get some personal project done. You keep telling yourself this after eight months of piling up unread magazines that are not propping up your Nintendo Wii. Yet, one day, something really catches your eye that reminds you of why you invested $20 annually in the first place.

It is that reason why you might have seen more links from trade magazines on this blog than, say, ESPN or FOX Sports. Sports as an industry has seemingly exploded over the past decade because even the most old-school of scouts, managers and media personalities have been compelled to embrace the digital wave and the business that surrounds the action.

As you can tell from this not-so-aesthetically pleasing template, I’m not the most savvy when it comes to the web. However, something that my brief involvement in sports media (as well as the fulltime job) has taught me is that the very best in both businesses have at least a working knowledge of another industry that connects to their careers. It’s for that reason why you will see references to general or non-sports media from time to time. It's the reason why I subscribed to WIRED over a year ago, even though admittedly, I have only thumbed through some issues and forgotten others. However, I was pleasantly surprised to how much sports-related pieces are in the magazine each month. This month has a few worth reading.

• If you recall from the visit to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, the new playpen for the Dallas Cowboys is essentially down the block. Now, I mentioned how massive it was in person, yet because I was unable to get close to the construction site for more pictures and video, it was hard to capture its largesse. The September print edition of WIRED gives a sectional view of the new stadium’s design and technological treats. Even while writing this brief note about it, I’m in awe. It’s believed that everything is bigger in Texas. I just had no clue how much bigger.
  Imagine a stadium where there are support arches that are as long as the Empire State Building; high-definition LED displays over midfield that stretch from 20-yard line ot 20 yard-line and a 410-foot X 256-foot retractable roof . Oh, and it's a 2.7 million-square foot facility that costs at least $1.1 BILLION to build.
  
• Also in this month's edition, they have a quick matching game about athletes who are bloggers themselves; turning a platform littered with the most cantankerous and snarky pages on its head.
  
• While those will eventually land on the magazine's website, currently, they have a ton of work about the Olympics, including this bit that will enrage fellow bloggers who have taken NBC to task about its coverage.

Apolitical

In the February 25th edition of Advertising Age, the editorial delved into what may arguably become the most controversial issue outside of anything related to the Presidential elections. With the next installment of the Summer Olympics taking place in Beijing these summer, Big Business has either lined up or gearing to push for sponsorship opportunities in the seventeen-day event. As the days wind down, more and more activist groups are calling for these marketers to cease their efforts, suspend their campaigns and boycott the Olympics because of numerous human-rights violations. The most notorious of these violations, in the eyes of many, has been the relationship between the Chinese and Sudanese governments as the War in Darfur rages on.

Since Beijing was awarded the 29th Olympiad in 2001, activist groups have gone on the offensive against the Chinese government in hopes of either forcing it to relent to the global pressures or possibly disrupt the Games with politically-tinged demonstrations (or the most extreme option, terrorism). The Chinese are banking on this with increased monitoring of these groups through intelligence agencies, yet that is only one battle. Some public figures, ranging from politicians to the Washington Post’s editorial board, have called for boycotts. The most damning objection thus far seems to come from famed director Steven Spielberg, who stepped down as the artistic advisor for the Games after his own efforts – with external pressures placed on him – failed to prompt President Hu Jianto to act on the matter.

Spielberg’s statement may hold tremendous weight in Hollywood as talent and executives alike may follow suit. Yet, the world public – or at least the First World public – may view the latest collective of global activism with some skepticism. So you may ask yourself; if Big Business has gone full steam ahead towards the Opening Ceremonies and the Chinese government keeping an eye on dissenters, then what about the participants themselves?

Athletes, for better or worse, have been expected to speak out on what society at-large may feel is an injustice. It’s a daily struggle as even the so-called sacred ground of the field or court houses social discourse just by a ‘harmless’ fan sign. If asked which athlete was defined by a fearlessness to discuss something beyond the game, sports fans Stateside would give you Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Billie Jean King or Charles Barkley. Yet, this isn’t just an American phenomenon, but an international one as well.

Case in point; while Tiger Woods has been both praised and criticized for racial neutrality (or indifference), some of soccer/football’s biggest stars have responded to sickening antics across the globe by speaking out and campaigning for unity around the pitch.

As the days draw near, the expectations will only grow. They will grow not only because nearly every nation will send their best athletes, but because nearly every nation will infuse their dollars into the Chinese economy. The expectations will grow because all of the world’s superpowers are home to the highest-profile athletes; some who will descend onto Beijing for their homelands. The expectations will grow because many of these high-profile athletes are not only the best players, but the best pitchmen of Big Business in the world.

Of all teams headed to Beijing, the USA Men’s Senior Basketball team will have the largest spotlight at the Olympics based on the American clamor for a return to dominance. They will play to represent the States, yet their occupations as NBA players overshadow their national pride. Each of the players has some endorsement deal with a major sneaker company and a handful (Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade) had or have deals with consumer brands such as T-Mobile and Sprite. These deals make them some of the most recognizable faces in the world. Yet, as if they won’t face enough scrutiny by American basketball fans and media, these deals also make them targets from activist groups who will impel them to respond and act.

It wasn’t long ago – last May, in fact - when current Seattle SuperSonics forward Ira Newble was gathering signatures for an open letter he wrote to the Chinese government on behalf of pro athletes. He was a teammate of James at the time and he was able to get the signature of almost all of his teammates. Two teammates declined, James and Damon Jones. Jones has a marketing deal with a Chinese shoemaker, Li-Ning Sports Goods Co. Ltd. Though it is a Chinese company, his refusal did not lend to as much criticism as James’ as Cavaliers’ leader is the signature current player on the Nike payroll. The $90 million deal he signed shortly before joining the NBA five years ago gives him a global reach, especially with the one billion pairs of feet in China. Whether it was fear of reprisal or alleged indifference is still difficult to determine nearly a year later. However, because of Nike’s business interest in the country coupled with the NBA’s presence, LeBron, Kobe and other members of Team USA won’t stop hearing the cries to take a stand – preferably a favorable stand for the activists.

Other athletes will receive backlash for an apathetic look towards China’s politics. Those who actually respond may be revered or reviled by fans and might very well be prepared for the tidal wave to hit. Yet, outside of American basketball players, one athlete in particular will feel even more pressure.

Yao Ming.

He is the most famous Chinese athlete in the world and now the world’s largest stage has been set up in his home country. He is also part of two worlds: his native land with its own values and a foreign land with a completely different set of rules. China may be slowly reshaping itself for an open economy, but there is still tremendous resistance within its own borders. Houston isn’t exactly Shanghai. Now that Yao has found a comfort zone in the States, he will certainly find himself in an unenviable position of being the Chinese voice to dissenters. He may not be able to play for his American employer, the Rockets, for the rest of the NBA season, but he hopes to be ready for the Games. Yao’s injury timeout is necessary for his return, but it may also become an opportunity for an increase in unsolicited requests.

Officially, China wants the world to focus on the Games as opposed to their international affairs. However, their government officials cannot and will not dismiss the history of the Olympics as the lone global political arena, rather, they expect it. As calls to compel Sudan into halting their attacks grow louder, it will be hard to ignore the realities surrounding the event. Big Business, for now, will push forward as planned. Politicians, entertainers and media will do their best to make their voices heard. Yet, there is no doubt that athletes as a whole are not as willing to share their opinions publicly out of concerns of losing prestige and respect. Between today and August 8th, an athlete of great standing may break the silence.

Or not.

Say What?!?!: Some have asked about thoughts on all sorts of recent socially-charged moments revolving around sports from the impending investigation regarding Roger Clemens to Kelly Tilghman's comment a short time ago (which only needed this Say What response). Scribe does share opinions on many sports topics, but not delving much on these weighty issues has a simple reason: there are many who articulate their thoughts on those matters and some who are quite masterful at it. There is, however, a desire to hear from those who are ardent fans and folks who marvel at our sports obesssions from afar. Just as every other post on this blog, your comments are always welcome, but in this particular post, your comments, questions and discussions amongst each other are highly recommended. Some of you have a particular insight on the War in Darfur that isn't reflected here and some have intimate knowledge - or at least awareness - of the vast differences between Chinese and American culture. Please forward this entry along to anyone with a particular interest (sports, business, politics, etc.).

Forward (VI)

After this, just one more. A smorgesborgh, if you will, of other sports to watch out for throughout 2008. For now, this sixth installation speaks about the most criticized and self-critical league ever known.

NBA: Will we keep looking for the Next Jordan? A while back in Sideshow, an article from Page 2’s (ESPN) Chuck Klosterman was referenced. It’s probably the most truthful article written in decades, if not ever, about the National Basketball Association. He described the league as “hopelessly, endlessly, incorrigibly narcissistic,” but explained further:

“When people hear the word "narcissistic," they associate it with egotism, but that's not really accurate. The failing of the mythical Narcissus was not his obsession with himself; it was his obsession with his image. And this is what prompts the NBA to wrestle with itself. No other league is as preoccupied with how others feel about its product.”

This is the league, however, that recreated the template of sports superstardom that is hard for anyone to duplicate. The emphasis on the individual is unlike any other from a team sports organization. From the unusual physiques to the near-nudeness due to the uniforms, NBA players are arguably the most recognizable athletes in the industry. The potential for these athletes, however, to transcend the sport took some time and luck to determine.

Baseball players were some of the first due to their early start in the sports landscape. Football stars followed suite once the NFL began to grasp the power of television. Yet, because the NBA has always been in some sort of need for revival, the singular face of the league was undefined. The Bill Russell-led Celtics, Oscar Robertson-led Royals and Wilt Chamberlain’s 76ers and Lakers were not enough, despite their uncanny talents and public demeanors. Race plays a significant role, whether we like it or not, but there was something else that not even Magic Johnson or Larry Bird in the 1980s possessed.

Somehow, Michael Jordan had it.

Before Jordan, it took the press’ unquestioned pulse on the sports world and some social firestorms to make athletes seem bigger than life. Muhammad Ali (and Jack Johnson before him), Joe Louis, any Yankee Hall-of-Famer, Johnny Unitas, Jim Thorpe, you name it. Though Fortune 500 companies had long ago made their foray into sports, the union between Jordan and Nike changed how popular athletes would be introduced to the world on a grand scale. That very union attracted many other offers for him and started a tidal wave of endorsement deals and sponsorships that has yet to show signs of subsiding.

Jordan has the looks, the talent, the accolades, the insatiable drive to dominate and an apparent apolitical stance that offended neither consumer nor business. He was the first black star athlete with undeniable crossover appeal. Even in a progressive era as the 1990s, this was unique and it was hard to imagine that the Association, or any league, could find similar success with another player.

They’re still searching for it.

When Jordan first retired following his third title with the Chicago Bulls, roundball columnists were asking who would become ‘The Next’. The roll call: Harold Miner, Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and the highest anointed of them all, LeBron James. Not surprisingly, most of those players had or have reached just a fraction of Jordan’s popularity with the public and the corporate community (and ‘Baby Jordan’ Miner faded rather quickly). The expectations were unfair and unrealistic, but that hasn’t stopped the A from trying again with Wade and James. All the while, a different brand of superstar emerged that countered the ‘clean-cut’ campaign for Jordan.

For better or worse, stars with ‘hood appeal’, ‘street-cred’ and ‘ghetto superstardon’ written all over them became the focus on the league. Allen Iverson was the first anti-Jordan superstar (and this moment solidified that status), and he singlehandedly carried a fledgling Reebok into the 2000s. Any guard with a crossover and bravado seemingly followed suit (Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, Baron Davis, ‘White Chocolate’ Jason Williams). The influx of hip-hop culture with these newer players may have opened new doors in the coded ‘urban’ centers, but it also invited a socioeconomic rift that turned away many casual fans. Race, economics, generations, you name it.

Because these two contrasting campaigns were openly competing for the public’s conscious, every little negative tidbit regarding a player or the games themselves became a referendum on the NBA.

It still does.

You can dissect any news related to the NBA and find that no matter how insightful the discussion can be about the game, its players or teams; the conversation always comes back to the league’s image. A low-scoring game invites people to scream about the salaries of players. When someone takes thirty or so shots in a game, players are selfish and dumb (because Jordan himself never took more than ten shots in any game). When more international players are drafted, it’s becomes some conscious plot to undermine the African-American athlete. When Steve Nash wins two MVP awards, some columnists and fans take Commissioner David Stern to task for championing a white player in a league full of black ones. Can the A get a fair shake? Not when it is so open about its desires of finding another Mike.

The league changed on-court play with new ripples for offense in order to move away from the dominant defenses of the 80s and 90s. The marketing of their already-known and industry-leading community relations initiative (branded as NBA Cares) has been turned up since the Brawl a few years back. Wade and James are the most marketed players in the league; Wade’s championship with the Heat have catapulted him major pitchman status while James was placed in Jordan’s shadow when he was still in high school barely five years ago.

All the while, there are a sign of the anti-Jordan athlete, even within the Jordan brand, Jumpman. Carmelo Anthony, its signature player, may run with Iverson now, but he was categorized with him during his rookie season. Marbury went from And1 to his own inexpensive and successful ‘Starbury’ line, even though his image has taken a turn for the worse in recent years. There were failed attempts to find more of those types, such as the adidas contract bestowed upon Marbury’s troubled cousin, Sebastian Telfair.

It’s apparent that the NBA wants to be admired in the way that few leagues are. The NFL, Major League Baseball and college sports (mainly basketball and football) don’t have these internal struggles out in the open as much as the NBA does. Other than baseball, the aforementioned leagues have a similar composition of players as the A; many black players grew up poor, working-class or middle-class. Baseball, itself, has an increased presence of Latino and Asian players and dwindling number of blacks and whites.

So, why do all the image problems really fall into the NBA’s lap? Because no matter if it’s Derek Jeter or Peyton Manning or even the true collegiate pitchmen, the coaches, those leagues never had what the NBA banked on for the better part of twenty years. They didn’t create nor fall upon what the Association had in the palm of its hand.

Jordan.