All-American Basketball Alliance - for white Americans only

[Peikko 1,575]

Well its certainly wrong to suggest that all persecuted groups were persecuted equally.

That's only the top layer of what is wrong with that particular comparison

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Well its certainly wrong to suggest that all persecuted groups were persecuted equally.

The Civil Rights era of the 60's is still within living memory - that ought to say something.

Check your calendar; it's 2010. The 1960's are history, and the NAACP should be history, too.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Check your calendar; it's 2010. The 1960's are history, and the NAACP should be history, too.

If the prejudice against blacks wasn't closer to the surface as it were, I'm sure it would be.

[Peikko 1,575]

Clearly it says nothing to some people. Hey, but all black people are ghetto and white people need a nice league where they will not have to associate with such riff raff

[Sofiyya 1,687]

If the prejudice against blacks wasn't closer to the surface as it were, I'm sure it would be.

Damn! I keep forgetting that leftists need victims to fuel ID politics.

[Peikko 1,575]

Damn! I keep forgetting that leftists need victims to fuel ID politics.

All cliche and no substance as usual Sofi.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Damn! I keep forgetting that leftists need victims to fuel ID politics.

I keep forgetting how much you like to throw out snarky baiting comments

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Explain to me how substance would benefit this topic for either of you? You are invested in preserving in-the-box political correctness and I'm not. That makes it hard to relate on any substantive level when speaking of racism or just about any major issue that requires out of the box thinking. I can acknowledge that; can you?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Explain to me how substance would benefit this topic for either of you? You are invested in preserving in-the-box political correctness and I'm not. That makes it hard to relate on any substantive level when speaking of racism or just about any major issue that requires out of the box thinking. I can acknowledge that; can you?

I think these things can be better understood if some consideration is given to the context and background.

You don't like my opinion because you see it as political correctness, I don't like yours because it amounts to moral relativism.

Perhaps a case of agreeing to disagree - and sparing everyone a waste of time pissing match about tedious, cookie cutter politics.

[Peikko 1,575]

I don't have any interest in political correctness Sofi, whatever you might think to the contrary. Imagine a basket ball league open to both christians and muslims and insert the same language but swap 'black' for 'muslim', white for christian and swap 'ghetto' for 'terrorist' and see how that sits with you.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Anyone here know who Earl Lloyd was?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The presence of the African-American player changed the way the NBA game was played. Because the African-American athlete had been so long excluded from the structured white organizations of the game, they were not bound by the traditional approaches to basketball. The segregation of the era meant that basketball developed independently in the African-American community, separate from the more conservative style that dominated early professional leagues, such as the BAA. Since African-Americans could not play in the pro leagues, black semipro players continued with the styles they had utilized in college, which were more conducive to a wide open play.

Cultural influences also played a large part in this development. For example, flamboyant or showy moves by an offensive player were considered bad sportmanship in the white-dominated leagues. By contrast, African-American players and fans reveled in showmanship and flamboyance as a mode of self-expression.

Inspired by the play of the legendary all-black New York Renaissance and Harlem Globetrotters, a distinctive “black” style of play developed, one that emphasized speed, agility, superior jumping ability and creative ball handling.

While this style often conflicted with white coaching philosophies of the day, it was clearly a style of play that fans found more appealing. And at the start of the 1954-55 season, when the NBA adopted the 24-second clock because it's slow methodical style was losing interest with fans, the “open style” of play exploded throughout the game.

Two seasons after the shot clock came into being, the first African-American superstar entered the league -- Boston Celtics center Bill Russell. With all due respect to Minneapolis Lakers Hall of Famer George Mikan, Russell, whose dominating presence at the University of San Francisco caused the NCAA to double the width of the lane for six to 12 feet, was unlike any other big man who had ever played the game.

"Nobody had ever blocked shots in the pros before Russell came along," legendary Celtics Coach Arnold “Red” Auerbach said.

"He upset everybody. And the thing about it is that he blocked shots with a purpose. You see today a lot of players will block a shot as hard as they can, and it goes out of bounds. Russell always tried to control the ball when he blocked it. He would block a shot and aim it towards a teammate. It was almost like a pass. Nobody else has ever done that.”

Auerbach was the first NBA coach to take advantage of this style of play by installing a full-court press and allowing black stars such as Russell, K.C. Jones and Sam Jones to free lance more on the court. In 1958, Russell became the first African-American to be named NBA Most Valuable Player.

http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=Af...ence_in_the_NBA

[ruby_7 45]

Doesn't matter if a white org. is racist, then so is a black one. You can't have double standards. I didn't own slaves and none of my ancestors did.

RACISM in this country is extremely terrible....Advanced country, yet majority of the people here particularly whites still have backward thinking...Advanced into technologies, etc. BUT socially uncivilized....Geeez , what a shame...Until this time they can't still accept mixed race ....I better just moved to other State where there is highly populated mixed race because of their social civility coz State with lack of racial mix population looked down of non-americans....

[Peikko 1,575]

http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=Af...ence_in_the_NBA

What are you on? Styles of play are interesting, and there is nothing wrong with deciding you want to revert to 'original rule' play, if that's what you want to do. However, this isn't simply a question of changing the game rules but excluding a section of society becase in your opinion they are culturally unable to play by those rules. That's bullshit and you know it.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

White men can't jump.