The Black Athlete

*As seen on my other site, REAL TALK DC*

Salutations World,

I write this about a week or so after the events that lead to Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg at a club in NYC. When originally hearing this, I automatically knew that there would be an uprising from sports commentators alike about how this is another Black man with millions, acting stupid. True to form, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN fame lends his take on the situation..


And after listing to this, I was somewhat upset that such a major figure in sports entertainment would not take an easier approach to addressing this situation. Ultimately, all athletes are adults and should be held responsible for their transgressions, but does it make us any better to automatically assume that if a young black man is given millions, that somewhere along in his career he will mess it up?

There are a few things that really made me mad about this rant. First of all, black athletes are very rarely ever examined for the good that they do. All we ever hear is whether they have been arrested or how hard and tough their upbringing was. We never hear stories about guys like Allan Houston, who runs a father/son basketball camp, as a tribute to his close relationship with his father. We never hear stories about Grant Hill or even college stars like Gerald Henderson of Duke, and Stephen Curry of Davidson, who both came from NBA household and who are both excelling at top notch universities..

Allan Houston and Jeff Young. In Philly

No, we only hear about Pac Man..Or Plax..Or Allen Iverson.

And who is usually ready at the front lines ready to pounce on our black athletes..Black People. I find it disappointing that instead of taking an angle where he illustrates the number of black athletes that do not engage in extreme acts of coonery and buffoonery, Stephen A. Smith ranted and raved that the black athlete is somewhat of a plague to today's sport. Citing examples of the NBA instituting a dress code as an example of the negative black influence..

My plea to black sports writers as well as blacks in general..PLEASE uplift and educate. Uplift the black athletes that are doing good in their respective sports as well as in the community. And educate those who are unaware or who are ignorant enough to believe that every young black man with millions is merely in training to 'make it rain'..

Like always, until next time..

Peace.

-Yeezy