Why I Hate Christian Laettner

Page 9-13: He first starts how he was privileged as a white by talking about how he his family was able to easily gain an apartment with the help of his grandfather, who was established way before because he was white. Also the complex was segregated at first and so even after the end of the “apartheid” it was still hard for the people of color to come in. He then talks about how he was able to gain a sweet job which would lead to his stardom as an antiracist activist. But the only way he ever got this job was because he knew two people. Two people he met a Tulane, his college. And the fact that he was able to go to Tulane was in itself because of white privilege. It was because he was white that his mother was able to easily gain a loan. And this loan was only gained because his mother’s family being white was able to have a house to use for collateral for the loan.

Coach Carter was a strong and determined African-American man that coached basketball at an unprivileged gang type school. Students, there were so bad that his first day at basketball practice, one of his players tried to fight him. Carter came to the school not to just coach basketball but to teach the players the importance of education, respect, and team unity.

“Earlier, when he was an eighteen-year-old sophomore at Creighton, Gibson and the rest of the college’s basketball team had gone to Oklahoma by train for a game against the University of Tulsa, and on the way Gibson was told that he wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep with his teammates there” (24, Angell). This proves similarities between Bobby Moch and Bob Gibson as both struggle to cope with discrimination. Therefore, Bobby Moch and Bob Gibson both successfully survive against discrimination and out-right

Affection, and value are how KU fans feel towards basketball and the document of the rules. Nevertheless, according to the article, “Sympathy for the Blue Devils: There’s No Place Like Home, “Swade’s belief that he’s on an almost biblical quest would be comical if he weren’t so obnoxious”(Bellamy 1). However, the author of this article is biased towards Duke. Describing Swade as obnoxious is one example of the bias Bellamy includes throughout his article. No facts are used to prove that Swade’s behavior is obnoxious whatsoever. In fact, Swade’s behavior shows how determined he was to bring the rules back to their rightful home. Obnoxious or not, Swade and other KU fans had sentimental feeling towards the document of rules that would have made innumerable amounts of KU fans disappointed if the rules were not placed safely back in Lawrence, Kansas. Correspondingly, the affectionate feelings KU had towards the rules and basketball tied together the reasoning to bring the rules back to their rightful home in Lawrence,

The article Higher Education by Gary Smith is about a basketball coach who changed the lives of a whole community. Perry Reese Jr. was a black basketball coach in Berlin, Ohio which used to be one of the most Amish settlements in America. Many in the town wrote him off because of their racist views. What they didn’t know was that one day he was going to be the man that created magic in that small community. He was not only a coach but someone who genuinely cared for all of these people, breaking the traditional views of segregation and life all together.

When he was playing baseball the leagues were separated from white and black. No african american had ever played in the white leagues of baseball until Jackie Robinson came around. The president of the the Brooklyn Dodgers took a chance on Jackie Robinson so he could integrate the major league baseball league. When jackie got there he had to promise not to fight back. With all of the words and actions they did he could not fight back or it would say something that he was violent and they would never have another african american play in the mlb. A bunch of fans from whites and blacks loved him, but a portion of whites didn't and they were the other teams and their coaches.The philadelphia phillies team and their manager Ben chapman shouted inappropriate derogatory terms at robinson from their dugouts. Jackie broke the color barrier by becoming the first african american to play in the mlb. All of the discrimination, racism, and pain that jackie endured was worth it for everyone. What he did that seemed like a simple tiny task was a massive thing. It integrated all sports for all

The first African American pro sports player, the former Brooklyn Dodger, Jackie Robinson, is the definition of the American Dream. He is the perfect example on what our country can bring to anyone that works hard enough for it. Jackie Robinson achieved amazing accomplishments during his time. Raised from a plantation in Georgia, Jackie Robinson was athletically gifted and was a stand out in high school and at UCLA where he did track, basketball, football, and baseball. On top of that Jackie Robinson went on to be the first African American in American pro sports and led to eventually all sports being filled with other races.

By forcing the reader to reconsider their thoughts, the author is essentially questioning the viability of such stigmas and showing that they are not always accurate. Additionally, by mentioning his enrollment in the University of Chicago, he recovering his credibility, which later allows him to continue questioning the reader’s thoughts without losing the audience’s trust. He does this at other moments too, such as when he refers to the essay “My Negro Problem - And Ours” written by Norman Podhoretz. He uses this not only as a counterpoint to argue against, but also as a means of showing the reader that he is aware of such problems also occurring outside of his own life, which again contributes to his ethos. By mentioning this essay and showing the reader that their fear of African Americans on the street is shared by many others in the city, he amplifies the reader’s view of the seriousness of the issue.

There are men like Henri Pichot and Sheriff Guidry, who believe white men are superior. But the significant white man is Paul Bonin, who breaks away from the myth that white men are more superior over black men and treats Jefferson, Grant and the others like actual human beings, and not like they’re only three-fifths human like Sheriff Guidry says. (The Common Humanity…, Ed, Piacentino) Throughout the novel Paul has treated the black community with the same respect he would give any other man, which is quite different than any other white character. It shows a change in the humanity of white men and it shows a progressive step towards equality by allowing the reader to see the both sides of white men during this time.

It would be the first interracial rivalry, but it wasn’t a bad rivalry. A third way this relates to popular culture is that nearing the end of each others career, both Magic and Larry were dealing with issues that would try to keep them off the court. With Larry, it was many injuries and with Magic, it was the fact that he had HIV and the questions that surrounded him when the news came out. With all these issues, it was their competitive friendship that pushed Larry throw chronic pains and illnesses to play. Same with Magic, at the time of the news that Magic had HIV, it was major news to the nation, especially since this was the first time a major sports icon had had a disease like this. No one knew what to do or what to think. Unfortunately, he was forced to retire because of other players refusing to play with someone with the HIV disease and the questions surrounding him, how much longer was he going to live? Are people going to think of him the same way

It was criticized for negative stereotyping. Louise Jefferson was like an old-south “Mammy”, and George, although rich, was always the butt of someone’s joke, whom no one really respected.

The movie Hoosiers was a great story that dealt with many of the topics covered in our readings for the week. The story is about a small-town Indiana basketball team that overcomes many challenges to win the state championship. The main character of the movie is Norman Dale, a passionate basketball coach that faces many obstacles in his attempt to teach his players about the benefits of working together as a team. The movie dealt with many team oriented topics such as team development, interdependence, group cohesiveness, intergroup problems, and confrontation.

“Black” and “white’, are there two distinct styles of players in the NBA? Jeff Greenfield believes so. Greenfield believes the two most important traits that characterize “black” basketball is leaping ability and razzle-dazzle moves. When coaches see a white boy who can jump or who moves with extraordinary quickness, they say, “He should have been born black, he’s that good.” (Greenfield 212). This statement was used in the title to the hit film White Men Can’t Jump. Most of the legendary jumpers in the NBA were black. Such players include Willis Reed, Julius Erving, and Wilt Chamberlain. In today’s modern game

“The Best That Never Was” is a 30 for 30 documentaries ESPN produced about the life and career of Marcus Dupree. Almost every topic we have discussed in class this semester came together in this documentary. It had everything from racism, eligibility to ethical behavior by everyone involved in sport including agents. I will focus on these three issues in particular because I feel they have the most direct correlation between the film and classroom discussions. I will follow these up with my opinions of the movie and some of the key players.

Bill Garret—the forgotten pioneer who broke the color-barrier within college basketball and paved the way for so many black athletes to follow—fought a constant battle on and off the court against ignorance, racism and discrimination all too often. Bill grew up in an integrated community although racial segregation was “just the way things were” in this town. Nothing was ever said directly, the rules and social expectations had been set in place since before their time and nobody dared change it. Bill Garrett was the perfect example of just how hard you have to fight to change social barriers and norms. How hard you have to work and act in order to succeed in a system that sets you up to fail. Throughout Getting Open, we see Garrett’s transition