I cannot stand Kevin Blackistone's work. Just looked at his "chat"

[dude1394]

This guy drives me nuts. He's like some sort of great aunt they pull out every once in a while.

He buys into all of the old crap like star players should get star calls and crapola like that. Just cannot stand to read the dude.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...at.edaaa6.html

[Murphy3]

Crapistone is a worthless piece of crap.

[Drbio]

The thing that drives me nuts about Kevin is that he tries to turn everything into a racial bit. He's done it for years and it has been his theme in damn near everything he has ever written. He isn't talented enough to write good material so he relies on that to fill his many holes in ability and talent.

He makes me think that Valade could win a Pulitzer.

[Bookit]

He sucks. Reading his chat would be a waste of time

[FreshJive]

He always hated Nellie for drafting Dirk instead of PP.

[Drbio]

Originally Posted by FreshJive

He always hated Nellie for drafting Dirk instead of PP.

That is because Dirk is white and PP is black. Blackistone didn't even try to hide his own racist agenda. He's worthless and has about as much talent as Fisher after a bottle of gin.

[Evilmav2]

I've long thought that Blackistone's columns aren't really even worth reading. His blandly predictable, and generally un-insightful columns are nothing but sports page space-eaters, and I would say that he is easily the worst columnist to draw a paycheck from the DMN since Skip Bayless- although Kevin is probably not as talented a writer as the often source-less muckraker Skip was, and at least Skip's constant, and often ridiculous attempts to stir controversy generally made for interesting copy back in the early 90's...

[chumdawg]

Skip was really at his best at the Herald in the 80's. Blackistone? He was never anywhere remotely near that good.

[G-Man]

Originally Posted by Drbio

The thing that drives me nuts about Kevin is that he tries to turn everything into a racial bit. He's done it for years and it has been his theme in damn near everything he has ever written. He isn't talented enough to write good material so he relies on that to fill his many holes in ability and talent.

He makes me think that Valade could win a Pulitzer.

I don't think Blackistone turns things racial. He reports on things in sports that are racial. Think about it. In the NBA and NFL, a huge percentage of the players are black, while the all of owners, most of the head coaches, and the vast majority of the media is white. There's lots of racial stuff going. Its just part of life in America. Haven't you ever noticed the irony that in a country with America's race history, where most of us work for a boss, all these sports millionaires are owned by a white millionaire? Equally ironic, we root for a team fighting a 7 year long reputation as full of soft white boys. Blackistone didn't make the world this way, he's just discussing reality, like it or not. And there is a lot to not like.

If you think there's nothing racial in the Barry Bonds-Babe Ruth race for 2nd place going on, you must not know that Hank Aaron spent the summer before he broke the record for real in virtual hiding, getting death threats and bags full of hate mail. Sure things have changed, but it hasn't gone away. When Blackistone writes about that stuff, he's not making it up, he's telling you truth you might not ever known or thought of otherwise.

I've been on sidelines and in locker rooms. I've seen how many Black players relate to black reporters differently. That's not good or bad, it just is. Dale Hansen and Troy Aikman were buddies. Emmit rarely even talked to Dale. That means Dale can tell you everything going on in Aikmans head, But if you want to hear whats up with Emmitt, you'll have to get it from a different reporter. That's not good or bad, it just is. But it is also why we need diversity in the newsroom, so we get a lot of different views, not just 1. I think the whitest room I've ever been in was the press room of the 1987 World Series. Two or 300 print reporters. The only color in the room was me passing through and a few waiters. Times have changed since then, but the racial makeup of newsrooms hasn't changed that much, especially in the high level jobs.

In Dallas, there are only 2 or 3 reporters of color who are columnists, or have enough stature to give their opinions, rather that report straight facts. You got Newie, Kevin B, Roger B. Brown. I just checked all the pictures on the Ticket web site. ALL WHITE GUYS. What's up with that?

You can hope that race is not longer relevant, but the fact of America is most of the players they report on grew up in Black neighborhoods, went to Black schools, and black churches, and some of them may be more comfortable talking to black reporters. You can say race is no longer an issue. But then, how do you explain that we have so many black churches, black schools and black neighborhoods? Guys like Blakistone can give you a window into some of thier worlds you might not ever get. Blackistone didn't make it that way. He's just a reporter.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by G-Man

In Dallas, there are only 2 or 3 reporters of color who are columnists, or have enough stature to give their opinions, rather that report straight facts. You got Newie, Kevin B, Roger B. Brown. I just checked all the pictures on the Ticket web site. ALL WHITE GUYS. What's up with that?

Maybe they got off their ass, gathered up some capital and took a risk starting a brand new radio station and are reaping those rewards. Maybe their demographic is mostly white guys so they have more of an affinity for white broadcasters. I'm sure there are black radio stations, have you gone to their website and do a quota check of white faces broadcasting? Why wouldn't white guys be broadcasting to black listeners? Well probably because black listeners don't really have much affinity for them.

You can hope that race is not longer relevant, but the fact of America is most of the players they report on grew up in Black neighborhoods, went to Black schools, and black churches, and some of them may be more comfortable talking to black reporters. You can say race is no longer an issue. But then, how do you explain that we have so many black churches, black schools and black neighborhoods? Guys like Blakistone can give you a window into some of thier worlds you might not ever get. Blackistone didn't make it that way. He's just a reporter.

He's a one-trick pony however, since he likes to dwell on racial aspects of sport. Okay..fine...he can do it, but his shtick is tiresome and irrelevant.

Race is irrelevant when it comes to having the ability and the opportunity to succeed in this society. We have black schools and black neighborhoods just like we have chinese, vietnamese, asian, irish, latino neighborhoods. Folks feel comfortable with other folks who share their same backgrounds, financial, racial and cultural. Wow..

If let's say 10% of the folks in this country are black then out of 32 or so NBA teams about 3 only should be owned by blacks. It's normal racial crap that blackistone throws out. I don't know how many are/are not..

That dog just won't hunt anymore.

Here is one and if more black people can find 300million bucks they would probably be welcome to run the show.

Robert L. Johnson believes his race did not play a major role in his becoming the first African-American to be the principal owner of a major professional sports team. Mr. Johnson will pay $300 million to own the new Charlotte team in the National Basketball Association. Mr. Johnson, who became a billionaire when Viacom acquired his Black Entertainment Network two years ago, described the process of buying the Charlotte team as a ''beauty contest,'' and added, ''It's nice to know you're the prettier guy.'' Richard Sandomir

[Murphy3]

Blackistone turns everything that he can into a racial issue. I remember a comical episode on TheTicket once.. Gordon Keith of all people was calling him out for some of his remarks in an article. Blackistone came on the air and Gordon tore him a new asshole.

Blackistone represents alot of what's bad with this country. He's just a guy that has an agenda and is willing to twist anything possible to fit his needs.

[snoop]

I like his cowboys pieces but I agree with the racial undertones

[G-Man]

Originally Posted by dude1394

Maybe they got off their ass, gathered up some capital and took a risk starting a brand new radio station and are reaping those rewards. Maybe their demographic is mostly white guys so they have more of an affinity for white broadcasters. I'm sure there are black radio stations, have you gone to their website and do a quota check of white faces broadcasting? Why wouldn't white guys be broadcasting to black listeners? Well probably because black listeners don't really have much affinity for them.

Lets start with "gathered up some capital." Radio stations in a major market cost 10's of millions and most are owned by 3 major companies. Buying one requires wealth, and because of America's racial history, wealth is concentrated among whites. Remember that until the 60's it was almost illegal for blacks to get educated,or get loans or do most of the things required to amass wealth, like go to the right schools, have powerful friends, play golf at the right clubs, get hired, get promoted, get loans, etc. so its not just a matter of getting off one's ass. Opportunities are less limited now. But when they opened the doors to the schoolhouses, they didn't open the bank vaults and redistrubute the accumulated wealth.

Even so, no matter who gathered the capital, the Ticket could hire who ever they want. Are we back to saying there are no blacks qualified? To talk about sports? And just because the audience is mostly white guys, are you saying they wouldn't listen if they hired Rolando Blackmun? I don't think so. I give your friends, and my friends, more credit that that. I'm not sure the management at the ticket does. Maybe they are afraid that if they added a black voice, you wouldn't listen. Or maybe they are afraid that if they added a black opinion, you'd all treat it the way you are treating Blackistone in this thread.

Yes there are black stations, and last time I checked, KKDA 104 was white owned. They have mainly black voices. Which goes to prove my point. Radio is almost as segregated as our neighborhoods. Because race IS relevant. I don't understand why you want to pretend its not, or get mad just because Blakistone writes about it.

Originally Posted by dude1394

He's a one-trick pony however, since he likes to dwell on racial aspects of sport. Okay..fine...he can do it, but his shtick is tiresome and irrelevant.

You can say that its irrelevant until you are blue in the face. You can be tired of it, because if you are white, you can ignore it and pretend. Until you want something like the AAC built. Then you need mayor Ron Kirk to bring out a huge black turnout to get it approved by voters. The majority of whites, led by current mayor Laura Miller voted against it. its a harsh thing to say, but it is true, and it is relevant. If you don't believe its still relevant, watch the race politics around the Cotton Bowl bond issue.

Originally Posted by dude1394

Race is irrelevant when it comes to having the ability and the opportunity to succeed in this society.

To a growing extent yes. But people with colleged educated parents have better opportunities. So do those who attend private schools, and those who's parents are already rich, and those who's parents are middle class. Since about 1/2 of black children are born into poverty and attend inner city schools, they start out with greater challenges to overcome.

Originally Posted by dude1394

We have black schools and black neighborhoods just like we have chinese, vietnamese, asian, irish, latino neighborhoods. Folks feel comfortable with other folks who share their same backgrounds, financial, racial and cultural. Wow..

I'm not sure if this statement is silly or ignorant. And based on your generally intelligent posts about basketball, I don't think you are either. We have Black neighborhoods because they were established during segregation. Thats the 100 years after slavery, before the civil rights movement, when state law required blacks to live in black neighborhoods. Don't they teach you any of this is school? Those laws changed in the 60's, but those neighborhoods and the children born in them still suffer from the legacy of less educated parents, no wealth to inherit, bad schools and few sucessful role models to emulate. I wish it were not so. But Blackistone isn't making this stuff up, he's just reminding you of what you wish were not true and making you uncomfortable. Calling it stichk, of calling it playng the race card is just a cowards way of refusing to face reality.

Originally Posted by dude1394

If let's say 10% of the folks in this country are black then out of 32 or so NBA teams about 3 only should be owned by blacks. It's normal racial crap that blackistone throws out. I don't know how many are/are not..

If life was fair and race irrelevant, wealth, and team ownership might just naturally match population statistics. But the simple fact that few blacks are wealthy enough to own a team just proves that wealth is not fairly distributed, its concentrated among whites just as poverty is concentrated among blacks. And please spare me the crap about how they worked harder, because the poor people who catch the early bus to clean bedpans at Parkland work way harder than the doctors do. Time and education may even things out, evenutally. But it hasn't changed it yet, and if nobody talks about it, and you attack the few who do BECAUSE they talk about it, I'm not sure it ever will. when you call it racial crap and pretend it doesn't exist, it sounds like you are satisfied with the status quo and think nothing needs to change. That, to me, is both scary and delusional.

Originally Posted by dude1394

Here is one and if more black people can find 300million bucks they would probably be welcome to run the show.

I do know one black man who was part owner of the Denver Nuggets. He has an MBA and a law degree from Harvard. But I only know 1 black guy that rich. I know a hundred white guys that rich. Most of them were born rich. Their parents or grandparents earned that wealth back when the best job my dad could get was scrubbing toilets. Which he did, every day, for 45 years, while he pushed me to get the scholarships to get the education I have, so now I can have a great job and a high income. So spare me the crap about America being a meritocracy. I know a lot of millionaires, and only a couple of them are as smart as my father, and none of them work any harder. Rush Limbaugh loves to claim he built his own empire. He doesn't talk that much about the fact that when he got into the business, his daddy was a big time local attorney. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

And this quote just cracks me up.

Originally Posted by dude1394

Quote:
Robert L. Johnson believes his race did not play a major role in his becoming the first African-American to be the principal owner of a major professional sports team. Mr. Johnson will pay $300 million to own the new Charlotte team in the National Basketball Association. Mr. Johnson, who became a billionaire when Viacom acquired his Black Entertainment Network two years ago, described the process of buying the Charlotte team as a ''beauty contest,'' and added, ''It's nice to know you're the prettier guy.'' Richard Sandomir

And Mr Johnson got rich how? By starting a Black TV network. Race may not be the reason he got to buy the team, but it is the reason he got rich enough to do it. He realized all the other networks ignored a huge black market and started a network, which he sold to Viacom. Now how does this prove race is no longer relevant?

Admit it, deal with it, fix it. If you are not part of the solution....

[Drbio]

wow G-man. You sur ehave a nice pair of rose colored sunglasses. Anyone who cannot see that Blackistone turns everything into a race issue is blind. The guy is worthless and the race card is all he has in his bag.

[G-Man]

Dreaded double post