Sam Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Whitlock has been on top of this for awhile now. I'm interested to see if his voice starts to stretch across various boundaries now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Trick Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 wow, you mean he's capable of writing a decent article. huh, who woulda thunk it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiss Cheezhead Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Wow. Even though I've been reading Whitlock for years, he still surprises me sometimes. He's DEAD-on right. He might just be my favorite journalist in the current sports landscape. No one else even comes CLOSE to Whitlock's knack for speaking controversial truths, with no fear of repercussions. That's what journalism is supposed to be about, and I respect him a lot for staying married to that concept. ---------- All that said, the one concept he didn't address was the conflict between what coaches want to win and what the media and fans WANT. Clowns like Chad Johnson and T.O. only exist because the media -- and to some extent, the fans -- WANTS them to exist. There are plenty of fans outside of Cincinnati who actually find Ocho Cinco entertaining. And whatever you say about T.O., most fans were fascinated by him during the height of his antics. At some point, as Whitlock sort of alludes to, it'll be the NFL franchises' owners/GMs/coaches who resolve that conflict; they will choose winning over circus fun. Why? Because, ultimately, that's what fans want. Most fans are fickle followers who have tiny attention spans and modify their opinions depending on which sports radio show is currently on the air. In the end, though, it all comes back to winning -- and team owners who want to become and stay successful will do whatever it takes to win consistently. I don't believe, however, that the end result will be a "whiteification" of NFL teams. Instead, I think the all the "hip-hop buffoons" will learn to toe the line; there just won't be a place for those who don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 You mean it isn't his autobiography? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 I cant stand that guy. All he ever talks about is race. I'm glad he isnt on Sports Reporters anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 I cant stand that guy. All he ever talks about is race. I'm glad he isnt on Sports Reporters anymore. Lately, yes. But he has been taking a very interesting slant for awhile now. He's been at the KC Star for a long time, and he's always had a different take on things. It's been fun to watch him change over the years. And the things he talks and writes about right now ARE important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delicious_bass Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 All that said, the one concept he didn't address was the conflict between what coaches want to win and what the media and fans WANT. Clowns like Chad Johnson and T.O. only exist because the media -- and to some extent, the fans -- WANTS them to exist. There are plenty of fans outside of Cincinnati who actually find Ocho Cinco entertaining. And whatever you say about T.O., most fans were fascinated by him during the height of his antics. At some point, as Whitlock sort of alludes to, it'll be the NFL franchises' owners/GMs/coaches who resolve that conflict; they will choose winning over circus fun. Why? Because, ultimately, that's what fans want. Most fans are fickle followers who have tiny attention spans and modify their opinions depending on which sports radio show is currently on the air. In the end, though, it all comes back to winning -- and team owners who want to become and stay successful will do whatever it takes to win consistently. I don't believe, however, that the end result will be a "whiteification" of NFL teams. Instead, I think the all the "hip-hop buffoons" will learn to toe the line; there just won't be a place for those who don't. Well said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoMan Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Wurd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 In a related story: Since the Bengals clinched the AFC North in December of 2005, they have more arrests than wins. 15 to 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 This is an excellent article and I'm interested to see who will argue against it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delicious_bass Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Whitlock tends to bring race into his work a little more than I care for, but I do tend to read some of his articles because I think its important for me to read things I dont necessarily always agree with and try to understand other points of view. I thought this latest article was pretty good, and he made some nice points. Now, his article a few weeks back about how the NFL should welcome Vick back after he serves his punishment I didnt think was one of his better efforts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeljordan ca Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 I think this is a very well-written article with some very sad truths. Entertainment doesnt equate wins, but sadly, there are always those who will pay to watch the buffoons... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted October 20, 2007 Share Posted October 20, 2007 I was amazed this guy wasn't getthing hammered w/the race card......then I clicked on the link and realized why: he's black. Credit to him for trying, even if most of what he says is kinda like saying they found the Lindbergh baby and his "the NFL will get more white!" is ridiculous. We need more black guys to keep stepping up like this or nothing will ever change because no white guy can say it thx to the all-powerful race card. Not that I think it will change anyway, frankly. As for saying "Hip hop athletes" (great, another sugar-coated word to replace the un-PC one, that's what we need more of) being "rejected" because they're not good for business, what planet is he on? As swiss mentioned (great post btw), they aren't being rejected - hell they're being embraced, and it's only been getting worse for years....decades, in fact (and it's far from restricted to sports, but that's for another thread). Players who are circus clown morons (if not outright dirtbags) - even those who are so in an in-your-face extreme - remain popular as hell (Owens, Johnson etc and ad nauseum). They are only rejected in the most extreme of circumstances - like say committing felonies - and even then they can get away with it, even coming back to fame and glory while the media looks the other way and still slobbers all over them.....long as they're playing well and winning (Ray Lewis anyone?). This is why I don't even watch games much anymore; the NFL is a joke and seemingly proud of it. But the saddest part of that is it's because that's the way far too many of the fans and media want it (or at least are willing to tolerate it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slugs Posted October 20, 2007 Share Posted October 20, 2007 I think this is a very well-written article with some very sad truths. Entertainment doesnt equate wins, but sadly, there are always those who will pay to watch the buffoons... Exactly, how many times did we see that insipid hall of fame coat that Chad pulled out of the bag to wear after his 1st TD of the year. After showing it about twenty or so times on the air, the coat ended up in the announcers booth where T. Korn even put it on. What a clown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushey Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 I agree 100% with Whitlock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Vatican Hitsquad Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 " Lewis' love affair with Chad Johnson, the Flavor Flav of the gridiron" This made me guffaw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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