What does he define as “full?” You got TWO out “allegedly pulling guns on each other” (though BOTH dispute this) out of HUNDREDS!!!

We need a background check on the author of this piece. SMH.

what an ignorant person, this man is an editor?

All the ‘tats’ on the court every night tell the story. Anyway, this is one good reason basketball players should be required to attend college instead of this straight out the hood crap.

Hockey players skate around beating each other bloody and toothless with sticks yet the NBA is full of thugs. Unreal!

Many of these players are not thugs just fakers who were abandoned by their fathers. They should have issues, but why don’t these idiots understand that they are at work. You can’t draw guns at Wendy’s drive thru and come back the next day for your shift. Us regular working folks struggling to get a flat screen and these dummies wanna loose Millions.

Oh Yeah, that Tiger tattoo is fruitylicious.

BUT YET THEY STILL DRAFT THEM CAUSE THEY KNOW “THUGS” (SO THEY SAY), KNOW HOW TO PLAY.

Carmelo is a thug

now lets not act like this man is speaking anything bu the truth! They are a bunch of thugs with no home training whatsoever – and I threw in the last part! If the truth be known he forgot to add the thugs in the NFL!

Thugs in the NBA.. thieves in the corporate world~~ go fiqure~!!

GUNS CAN EITHER PROTECT OR KILL US.. FORBES EDITOR MUST BE A RACIST WHY SHOULD HE THROW IN PREZ OBAMA’S NAME WHILE TALKING ABOUT BLACK BASKETBALL LADS?

Don’t know about them being a bunch of thugs, but I do feel that they take their success for granted… So many people out in the world wondering where their next meal will come from… Athletes making millions for dribbling/catching a ball, and then they want to act like ignorant, non-appreciative-fools…

“Many NBA players carry guns and the league is full of thugs.”

I’ve written it before, but it stands repeating: can someone please explain to me why professional athletes have a need to carry weapons?

Also, off the subject, but this tidbit may interest some sports aficionados:

After quietly test-running the technology for two years, ESPN has announced a summer 2010 launch of ESPN 3D, the industry’s first 3D television network. In today’s announcement, parent company Disney said ESPN 3D will broadcast at least 85 live sporting events during its first year, beginning June 11 with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match South Africa vs. Mexico.

Amen @ Gimmeabreak78

The truth hurts but you can no longer deny that too many brothers in sports refuse to grow up and act responsible.

That statement is the truth.

The same can be said of wall street! Anywhere there are millions being distibuted expect some low down illegal stuff to be going on! So what exactly is Madoff? A thug right? Oh I know they steal and bamboozle in a suit so they are not thugs….give me a break! The NBA and the NFL are organizations with a lot of minorities so they love to keep any issue in the media to perpetuate the whole “You can’t give negros money” theory. While all the while people of a lighter hue steal billions and have their hands in drug money and all sorts. But their skin color is the right color…so they are not labeled thugs or people you should be afraid of. Please, the white man is the ORIGINAL thug! So I guess they know how to spot them. But I must say this…to all the athletes…how about you play your part and just get your money out these crack.a.s and keep it moving! I mean how hard is it to stay out of trouble man?

I think they should make famous rich people take a mandatory class on how not to act a damn fool when you begin to make money. When will people learn? You can take some people out of the hood, but you cant take the hood out of some people…

people will believe anything that is sid on te news and i am really shocked at how black people are so quick to judge. There are 30 teams in the NBA with at least 16 men on the active roster, thats 480 players and i am not even talking about the practice sqaud. So, you people mean to say that all 500 plus players in te nba are thugs, yea that makes alot of sense.

There’s a few bad apples in every bunch…NBA, NFL, etc, but it’s reaching just a tad bit too far with the statement that it’s “full of thugs”. It APPEARS that way because the media chooses to only focus on the indiscretions and the immature acts of a hand full of African-American players in these leagues. There’s no possible way in hell that anyone can tell me that all of the other players that are not AA are perfect citizens of society. It’s funny (not really) that the media never discusses the hundreds of players (many AA’s) that actually ARE good citizens and do positive things in the community. Don’t believe the hype and the elite’s propaganda which continues to successfully do what they’re in business to do: assasinate OUR character and undermine any attempts that we make towards consciousness and progress.

@Niasia

The same can be said of wall street!
_______________________________________________

You are absolutely right, but the blog isn’t about Wall Street, now is it?

That’s all I have to say.

@SYDNEY
“I’ve written it before, but it stands repeating: can someone please explain to me why professional athletes have a need to carry weapons?”
______________________________________________________

I do NOT support gun ownership in anyway, form or fashion and I beleive that the wording in the Constitution has been misconstrued for centuries now.

That being said, to answer your question, google:

Paul Pierce
Eddy Curry
Antoine Walker
Darrent Williams
Sean Taylor

etc.

I wanna know why Gilbert wouldn’t shut his mouth about this entire incident-the other guy didn’t even speak on it…

Sorry, but he’s right. It doesn’t matter how hard coaches try to talk to players or how much you pay them, it’s ALWAYS the Black players on basketball, football or other teams who get into fights at clubs, shootings, or do something else stupid. They’re no different than rappers. I guess the bottom line is black men need to get their minds right and leave the ghetto mentality in the ghetto once they get out. All of the nonsense about proving who’s a man by pulling out guns, rapping derogatory lyrics or just plain acting a fool in other ways needs to stop. If you act like a monkey, people will call you a monkey.

“full of thugs”..true. But opposed to what? Football, hockey, the military, the police force…the government?

I mean, let’s be real.

this story is the happenings of a bad sign…handwriting on the wall that says: “These Black guys are getting paid way too much money for acting like imbeciles. Let’s begin the ending to their party longed needing stopage. We do the killing and bearing arms. They’re getting a bit too smart for us.”

Either way, the world is still a bit fat ghetto.

Interesting comments from Rev. Sharpton:

In an interview with the New York Daily News, civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton called on NBA Commissioner David Stern to come down hard on Gilbert Arenas after the Wizards guard admitted to storing guns in his locker at Verizon Center.

“The NBA needs to stand up and send a strong message by dealing with this situation,” Sharpton told the newspaper.

Sharpton also said reaction to reports that Arenas drew a gun on teammate Javaris Crittenton on Dec. 21 has been tempered because the players involved are black.

“If it had been a white player pointing a gun at a black player, there would have been much more of an uproar,” he said. “It’s almost as if people are saying, ‘Well, we don’t expect anything better from our black athletes.’ “

y’all should put a disclaimer up when showing this gaiety.

Lions, tigers and bears oh my!! GTFOH!!!

BLACK PEOPLE ALWAYS HATE IT WHEN THEY ARE TOLD THE TRUTH.

HOW MANY NBA players have been charged of crimes?

whatever..it is what it is. What’s wrong with being a thug? I bet a lot of basketball players, football players, etc…feel the same…

@Man

“I do NOT support gun ownership in anyway, form or fashion and I beleive that the wording in the Constitution has been misconstrued for centuries now.”

Yes, I’m aware that this is probably the only topic we agree upon, lol.

Thank you for the list of names — I was unfamiliar with most of them, but I certainly recall the murder of Sean Taylor. I still cannot support the carrying of weapons (in a number of cases, multiple guns by individual athletes) by athletes, and I certainly do not understand what possessed Arenas to store his firearms in his team’s locker room, unloaded or not.

Yes, it all strikes me as a case of bringing the “hood” into professional sports. It’s even more disturbing when you consider that, sadly, many in our community, including children, hold athletes in high esteem, even moreso than other professions that actually benefit humanity, e.g. medicine, science/research, etc.

I also wish to clarify that the list I posted is from the Washington Examiner, not the Post, but you may be interested in a recent column by the Post’s Michael Wilbon that was published on Sunday, washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/02/AR2010010201765.html. There are growing calls for the suspension of Arenas, and even voiding his $111 million contract. He is now viewed by a number of people as a liability. Too much drama, not enough return on a hefty investment.

I agree with the sentiments that enough p-a-s-s-e-s have been handed out to grown men who should simply behave better. Enough is enough.

“What’s wrong with being a thug?”

Is this a serious question?? You’re joking, right?

@Tone & KeepNit2Real

TELL IT!

WTF…in Georgia you can take your guns to work on the train, bus and bars.

“What’s the difference in the “thuggery” of a basketball players pulling guns on each other in a locker room and a group of corporate bankers taking a trillion dollars and keeping it?

Perspective *****es!”

well please share: what is or isn’t the difference? What does a group of wealthy n i g g a s pulling guns on each other and constantly bringing harm to the safety of their own have to do with Wall Street ripping people off?

“It’s ridiculous none-the-less. 8 charges over a 17 year time frame, with some of the perpatrators not even in the league anymore.”

MIJDC: Are you honetly trying to say that on the past 17 years only 8 NBA players have been in trouble over gun charges – or are you saying in DC alone? Cause if its the first part you KNOW you’re full of it, right?

To a certain degree, some journalists/columnists write content that is specifically geared to elicit a strong response from their readers. Bottom line, if their work does not get read (papers/magazines/etc. sold, click-throughs on a website), they don’t get to continue their vocation and get paid. I’m not familiar with his work, but Mr. Ozanian seems to do that well with his recent commentary on Mr. Arenas.

@SYDNEY
“Yes, I’m aware that this is probably the only topic we agree upon, lol.

Thank you for the list of names — I was unfamiliar with most of them, but I certainly recall the murder of Sean Taylor. I still cannot support the carrying of weapons (in a number of cases, multiple guns by individual athletes) by athletes, and I certainly do not understand what possessed Arenas to store his firearms in his team’s locker room, unloaded or not.

Yes, it all strikes me as a case of bringing the “hood” into professional sports. It’s even more disturbing when you consider that, sadly, many in our community, including children, hold athletes in high esteem, even moreso than other professions that actually benefit humanity, e.g. medicine, science/research, etc.

I also wish to clarify that the list I posted is from the Washington Examiner, not the Post, but you may be interested in a recent column by the Post’s Michael Wilbon that was published on Sunday, washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/02/AR2010010201765.html. There are growing calls for the suspension of Arenas, and even voiding his $111 million contract. He is now viewed by a number of people as a liability. Too much drama, not enough return on a hefty investment.

I agree with the sentiments that enough p-a-s-s-e-s have been handed out to grown men who should simply behave better. Enough is enough.”
_____________________________________________________

I have found that we agree on a number of subjects actually. I would risk saying 50/50. I’ll have to double check that estimate LOL.

Yes, those players listed were all assaulted with most being attacked SPECIFICALLY because they were athletes. With the exception being Darrent Williams because it couldn’t be proven he was targeted because he was an athlete.

At any rate, it is undeniable that athletes ARE TARGETS. Period, even the FBI has admitted as much and advised professional sports league to instruct players to hire body guards as far back as the mid ’90′s.

As for Arenas, he claims he removed his guns due to the children in his home. Which at face value seems plausible to me, while not the most intelligent of moves. That being said, I do believe a harsh penalty is in order. I think a season long ban is what he will be punished with and it is justifiable. Also, I believe his contract will be, and should be voided. Partially because he isn’t worth that amount of money and anyone would tell you that.

I will read Wilbon’s article when I get the chance. I am a fan of his and I believe he is very informed and unbiased.

I wish this really mattered to me on a cellular level but it doesn’t. We are commenting back and forth about this but the most important voice, the NBA Players Association has said NOTHING about the matter.

The Association should be front and center about these disparaging comments. By saying nothing, they are unintentionally acknowledging something that may or may not be true.

If a tattoo makes you a thug, where are the tattoos on Madoff or Enron’s Kenneth Lay? What is the difference? Anyone of these NBA players and I will most likely never cross paths but money that I earned could have found its way in a fund managed by either of these corporate thugs before they were incarcerated.

I expect more from Forbes than comments based on perceptions and not based on facts. Given that Forbes is a national magazine of some standing, the NBA Players Association should call them on the carpet with some facts about their players instead of allowing the entire league to be broadly painted incorrectly. That is, unless it is really true.

@Sydney™

“Interesting comments from Rev. Sharpton…’The NBA needs to stand up and send a strong message by dealing with this situation’”

Al’s right. I’ve often heard it said that ‘when the game changes, you have to know how to switch up the hustle.’ Luckily, no one was hurt in this instance, but Gilbert Arenas does need to deal with some sort of consequences for his foolish behavior. I’m trying to imagine how I would feel if someone showed up at my job waving a gun just to make a point. It’s just ridiculous! Has common sense gone completely out the window.

Sydney™
1/5/10, 10:35:am
Also, here’s a list of other gun charges against NBA players from today’s Washington Examiner. D.C. has very strict gun possession laws, and according to the Examiner, if charges are brought against Arenas, he could face a separate felony count for each handgun, with a maximum of five years in prison on each count. It doesn’t help him that he already has a prior gun charge on his record:
———————–

Thank you. It is really hard to disagree with the man. A lot of the guys try to display this THUG image. Down with the rappers and all that crap.

Yeah, the truth hurts.

OK, people, the box that I excerpted from today’s Washington Examiner was a sampling of gun charges, I’m sure, rather than a list of every single incident that has occurred in the league. It was a sidebar to another article about a federal grand jury weighing charges against Arenas. Yes, D.C. has very strict gun laws and has a history of gun violence (a significant reason why the team’s name was changed from the “Bullets”) that led to more stringent regulations. Arenas, whose residence is in Va., claims he wasn’t aware of the city’s laws and that mistake may come back to bite him hard.

@Man

“I have found that we agree on a number of subjects actually. I would risk saying 50/50. I’ll have to double check that estimate LOL.”

Alright, whatever you say. LOL!

Yes, I think you would find Wilbon’s column interesting. When it comes to sports news, I’m a novice, but I found it very informative.

@DA HONEST TRUTH
“MIJDC: Are you honetly trying to say that on the past 17 years only 8 NBA players have been in trouble over gun charges – or are you saying in DC alone? Cause if its the first part you KNOW you’re full of it, right?”
________________________________________________________

Guess you don’t have anything to say now huh?

@JoVah

“A lot of the guys try to display this THUG image. Down with the rappers and all that crap.”

Yes, if I never see another tattoo, set of “grills,” sagging pants, etc., it will be too soon. And, I repeat, the youngest among us are, tragically, emulating this abhorrent behavior and presentation.

“Thugs” are the bane of our existence.

The NBA IS full of thugs!

“@DA HONEST TRUTH
“MIJDC: Are you honetly trying to say that on the past 17 years only 8 NBA players have been in trouble over gun charges – or are you saying in DC alone? Cause if its the first part you KNOW you’re full of it, right?”
________________________________________________________

Guess you don’t have anything to say now huh?”

????? – I asked you the question. Shouldn’t you have something to say to me??

Happy New Year’s Diva, Aunt Viv (if you’re still here)!

BRB

HOCKEY IS MORE VIOLENT THAN BASKETBALL… BUT THERE ISN’T MUCH MELANIN THERE SO IT’S OK… RIGHT?

“@SYDNEY
“OK, people, the box that I excerpted from today’s Washington Examiner was a sampling of gun charges, I’m sure, rather than a list of every single incident that has occurred in the league.””

Thats what I’m saying. There have been many many more charges against black NBA players over guns that 8 in the past 17 years. LOL – there has probably been 8 charges this year alone!!! To even try to pretend that itso nly been 8 over the past 17 years is INSANE! That list doesn’t even include many players I can think of off the top of my head right now! It must be a Washington thing or he pointed out those few for a reason!

“HOCKEY IS MORE VIOLENT THAN BASKETBALL… BUT THERE ISN’T MUCH MELANIN THERE SO IT’S OK… RIGHT?”

Well I would imagine that if there were gun charges involved or guys pulling guns on each other in the locker rooms it wouldn’t be okay! But you never hear about that in white or Latino/Dominican dominated sports. Its only the black dominated sports where you hear of all this gun violence. You’re kinda comparing apples with oranges here!

The did pull guns on each other as a joke! I guess the ish aint funny now! The author of the article is just trying to get a reaction out of people. I guess its working.

@SYDNEY
““OK, people, the box that I excerpted from today’s Washington Examiner was a sampling of gun charges, I’m sure, rather than a list of every single incident that has occurred in the league.””
____________________________________________________

It’s not like you to make assumptions Syd!

this is part of our subculture and guns being carried by black male for protection,due to our environment that we were raised in… for dude to come out and say that these brothas are thugs is just stupid!!!! some one needs to check him in for that comment!!!

“this is part of our subculture and guns being carried by black male for protection,due to our environment that we were raised in… for dude to come out and say that these brothas are thugs is just stupid!!!! some one needs to check him in for that comment!!!”

guns carried by black men for protection? ARE YOU NUTS? noone kills black men with guns more than other black men! Thats all in self defense? Stop it please and just accept the black man has violent gun issues that he seriously needs to work on! They’re THUGS simple and plain!

“If it is soooooooo apparent that there are more than 8 over a 17 year time frame, by all means cite ONE that the Washington Examiner hasn’t cited already.”

Why do I need to cite anything if you are clearly agreeeing with me that that 8 in 17 years is a bunch of bullcrap? I’ve already won my arguement!

BLACK WOMEN DO NOT SAY ANYTHING!!! KEEP YOUR MOUTHS SHUT & LET THEM ATHLETE NICcAS CLEAN UP THEIR OWN MESS/PROBLEMS & IMAGE! U C HOW QUICK THEY WILL THROW U TO THE SIDE!

“BLACK WOMEN DO NOT SAY ANYTHING!!! KEEP YOUR MOUTHS SHUT & LET THEM ATHLETE NICcAS CLEAN UP THEIR OWN MESS/PROBLEMS & IMAGE! U C HOW QUICK THEY WILL THROW U TO THE SIDE!”

isn’t it ironic how, in the wealthy black mans eyes, having a white woman on his arm is supposed to take care of his image and acceptance issues? I wonder why it never seems to work. Hell, it didn’t even work for Tiger and he didn’t shoot anyone!

OMG – DID I SHUT MIJDC DOWN??? WELL DIDN’T I BLW YOUR MIND THIS TIME, DIDN’T I???

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! LOL!!!

naw a black man gets a white woman on his arms

to show the world he got him a H O E

and that H O E plays him everytime

just look at tiger

next kanye

so who is fooling who here

@DA HONEST TRUTH
“Why do I need to cite anything if you are clearly agreeeing with me that that 8 in 17 years is a bunch of bullcrap? I’ve already won my arguement!”
_____________________________________________________

Uh huh. That’s what I thought. You CAN’T list anymore because there aren’t any!

Ol buffoon…

Busta gotta cite something from 1993 to try to give his foolish statement credence. SMMFH.

I think one of the ways the truth is evident when when you consider the way the literal complexion of the NBA has changed over the last 20-25 years. In Jordan/Magic era it was rare to see players completely tatted up the way they are now. Growing up, I remember Dennis Rodman as being one of the only players that stood out with his numerous tats. I’m not saying that tattoos in and of themselves are thuggish, but the increased popularity of them within the NBA to me signifies a definite shift in the mentality of the players in general, and I believe that shift in mentality is also at play in their lives off the court.

“Uh huh. That’s what I thought. You CAN’T list anymore because there aren’t any! ”

So you’re officially taking my challenge and saying that there have only been 8 NBA players in gun trouble over the past 17 years? Are you really saying this MIJDC?

Jayson Williams (the one I meant to say further up)

Dionte Christmas

Rasual Butler

Carl Landry

This doesn’t even include the NCAA and NFL! LOL! Do you need more?

@GIMMEABREAK 78
“I think one of the ways the truth is evident when when you consider the way the literal complexion of the NBA has changed over the last 20-25 years. In Jordan/Magic era it was rare to see players completely tatted up the way they are now. Growing up, I remember Dennis Rodman as being one of the only players that stood out with his numerous tats. I’m not saying that tattoos in and of themselves are thuggish, but the increased popularity of them within the NBA to me signifies a definite shift in the mentality of the players in general, and I believe that shift in mentality is also at play in their lives off the court.”
______________________________________________________

Uh oh… whenever we say the word “in general” referencing a group of people we are stereotyping! And therefore… A BIGOT!

@Man

Here’s the link for the Examiner article if you wish to peruse it yourself:

washingtonexaminer.com/local/Grand-jury-mulling-gun-charges-against-Wizards_-Gilbert-8718511-80662317.html

And I thought this was clear, but this article is totally separate from the Forbes commentary cited in this thread. Michael Ozanian has nothing to do with the list.

@Stella

“I prefer soccer anyway.”

Completely off topic, but I read that Spike Lee has joined a committee to bid to bring the World Cup to the U.S. That would be quite a coup.

@ NubianNationUnite!:

What does this have to do with black men claiming white women affording them acceptance and status while repairing their images when its clearly not true? Sonds like someone couldn’t win the discussion so they went off on a tangent that means absolutely nothing in relation to the topic! Try again!

Well!! Amen to that!
The NFL,NBA,college football and basketball too is full of thugs who are an embarrasment to the black race!

“Well!! Amen to that!
The NFL,NBA,college football and basketball too is full of thugs who are an embarrasment to the black race!”

Double AMEN!

This conversation is all over the place, lol.

Why is marriage being introduced as a topic?

I’m lost. TTYL.

Well, it is!

sounds like real talk to me! not all nba players are thugs but there are quite a few!

DaHonestTruth aka SMDH

“guns carried by black men for protection? ARE YOU NUTS? noone kills black men with guns more than other black men! Thats all in self defense? Stop it please and just accept the black man has violent gun issues that he seriously needs to work on! They’re THUGS simple and plain!”

I’m not excusing the behavior of Arenas, but are you implying that some of these athletes concerns over their personal safety isn’t legitimate due to them being black?

“Uh oh… whenever we say the word “in general” referencing a group of people we are stereotyping! And therefore… A BIGOT”

Call me a bigot then because I loathe tattoos. I think they’re very déclassé. I’m sorry, but that’s my opinion, and I’m sticking to it.

@SYDNEY
“Here’s the link for the Examiner article if you wish to peruse it yourself:

washingtonexaminer.com/local/Grand-jury-mulling-gun-charges-against-Wizards_-Gilbert-8718511-80662317.html

And I thought this was clear, but this article is totally separate from the Forbes commentary cited in this thread. Michael Ozanian has nothing to do with the list.”
_____________________________________________________

I understand that the articles are seperate. However the flawed principle presented by both are similar. Mr. Ozanian statement:
“Many NBA players carry guns and the league is full of thugs.” is not specific or supported.

The examples given by the Washington Examiner are dubious at best and willfully misleading at worst. After reading the article, it is very insidious. Specifically listing Scottie Pippen in a gun charge cited 17 years ago that was later dropped. Exactly why would something like that be deemed “relevant” by any responsible editor?

*d-é-c-l-a-s-s-é*

@Man

“After reading the article, it is very insidious. Specifically listing Scottie Pippen in a gun charge cited 17 years ago that was later dropped. Exactly why would something like that be deemed “relevant” by any responsible editor?”

I suppose I must be biased because I didn’t find the article “insidious” at all. But, then again, defending the honor of athletes is not in my bailiwick.

@Man, I just don’t care

Uh oh… whenever we say the word “in general” referencing a group of people we are stereotyping! And therefore… A BIGOT!
__________________________________________

NBA players in general, over 6’3″. I’m not a bigot for saying that, am I? Of course not, because we all know that statement to be true.

The NBA in general (like the rest of our society) has undergone a shift in mentality. That’s a fact. Anyone who tells you different is trying to sell you a bill of goods. That fact is evidenced by the a couple of things things:

1) Allowance of 18-year olds in the league.

2) Huge marketing machines that turn athletes into marketing gold mines. (This change was definitely a Jordan-era creation and turned athletes into bonafide A-list celebrities.)

3)The melding of hip-hop and athletic culture.

None of these things were present in basketball before the mid 1980s, and all three have drastically changed the face of who plays professional basketball and how those are marketed/exploited.

I’m not sure why you are throwing around the “bigot” word so loosely.

@Gimmeabreak78

could not have said it better.

what do you expect????

TYPICAL WHITE PEOPLE..

What make them thugs in their opinion is their SKIN COLOR…

again…

TYPICAL WHITE PEOPLE

He forgot to mention the NFL!!!!!

@GIMME A BREAK 78
“NBA players in general, over 6′3″. I’m not a bigot for saying that, am I? Of course not, because we all know that statement to be true.

The NBA in general (like the rest of our society) has undergone a shift in mentality. That’s a fact. Anyone who tells you different is trying to sell you a bill of goods. That fact is evidenced by the a couple of things things:

1) Allowance of 18-year olds in the league.

2) Huge marketing machines that turn athletes into marketing gold mines. (This change was definitely a Jordan-era creation and turned athletes into bonafide A-list celebrities.)

3)The melding of hip-hop and athletic culture.

None of these things were present in basketball before the mid 1980s, and all three have drastically changed the face of who plays professional basketball and how those are marketed/exploited.

I’m not sure why you are throwing around the “bigot” word so loosely.”
_____________________________________________________

Not throwing the word around loosely, just applying it by it’s definition. At any rate you continue to make statements with out the slightest hint of research.

18 yr olds are SPECIFICALLY not allowed in the league. The official requirement calls for a NBA player’s high school class to be at least two years beyond the date of their graduation. Research “Brandon Jennings.”

Yes, the landscape of athletics has changed since the mid eighties. That is also due to the internet and technology in general. For the NBA the “Dream Team” had as much to do with it as “hip hop.” (LOL)

You clearly AREN’T a fan of basketball and it would probably be useless to even discuss this further with someone as uninformed as yourself.

@SYDNEY
“I suppose I must be biased because I didn’t find the article “insidious” at all. But, then again, defending the honor of athletes is not in my bailiwick.”
_____________________________________________________

If you were more familiar with the material being discussed I believe you would feel differently.

At any rate, the defense of athletes isn’t at question, it’s the integrity of journalist. At least to some.

@Gimmeabreak78

Your point about the melding of hip hop and athletic cultures is very interesting and gives me much food for thought. There’s no question in my mind that not only athletics, but our overall culture has changed significantly — and not for the better, I’m afraid.

@Man

“At any rate, the defense of athletes isn’t at question, it’s the integrity of journalist. At least to some.”

Well, we can agree on that point. This is the first I’ve heard of Ozanian, but I took a quick peek at his blog, and he appears to be getting quite a few accusations of racism for his remarks. I think it would be hypocritical for me to voice the same opposition since I’ve pretty much shared the same sentiments in my personal conversations.

As far as the integrity of the Washington Examiner reporter and the accompanying sidebar box to the article, I can only say, from personal experience, that it appears that an internal researcher may have pulled examples of other gun charges among NBA athletes, but that’s just a guess. I thought the article itself was pretty straightforward. If Arenas’ image has taken a public hit, it’s because of his own serious error in judgment, not a “witch hunt” on the part of the media, IMO.

@Sydney™

“If Arenas’ image has taken a public hit, it’s because of his own serious error in judgment, not a “witch hunt” on the part of the media, IMO.”

I agree. His decision to bring a gun to the locker room at his place of employment was foolish, and further compounded by his actions related to Javaris Crittenton. Foolish, reckless actions that are deserving of consequences. IMO, the media response is just a footnote.

@Butterscotch™ and Sydney™

“If Arenas’ image has taken a public hit, it’s because of his own serious error in judgment, not a “witch hunt” on the part of the media, IMO.”
______________________________________________________

I agree. His decision to bring a gun to the locker room at his place of employment was foolish, and further compounded by his actions related to Javaris Crittenton. Foolish, reckless actions that are deserving of consequences. IMO, the media response is just a footnote.

______________________________________________________

I don’t think anyone contests the fact that Arenas has made an error and deserves to be punished as a result.

The point of contention is the “full of thugs” comment and some journalists attempt to characterize the NBA by citing outdated and irrelevant other arrests by people who never played in the NBA or by incidents nearly two decades old. Makes you question the REAL intent of the article in the first place.

WOW,its so funny that so many of my black people agree with everything this clown said.Ok there are some players in the league who are thugs but that samething can be said about other sports but they see the players with the tats and the braids and assume they are thugs because they are black.Nobody calls the players in MLB or NHL thugs.Damn near the entire MLB is full drug users and they fight all the damn time but you don’t hear people calling them thugs for that do you and in hockey they have all out brawls but nobody says a damn thing about the amount of fighting that is allowed in both sports.As soon as an nba or nfl player does something stupid they get labeled as thugs or the image of the league is bad.When are we going to learn that this country looks at us all the same way,no matter what we accomplished.

[...] Sharpton could be onto something.  After all a blogger from Forbes.com thinks the NBA is full of thugs. [...]

@Butterscotch™

“IMO, the media response is just a footnote.”

The media is far from perfect, but I don’t think reporters/columnists are to blame for self-inflicted conditions.

@Man

“The point of contention is the “full of thugs” comment”

As a sidenote (and I know this person is very unpopular among a number of readers), but hasn’t Jason Whitlock, a brother, pretty much said the same thing?

@Sydney – Heh Jason Whitlock is usually hit or miss or on the fence, hes basically the Juan Williams of sportswriters….

Hey Txhustla, lol, yeah, I know Whitlock is pretty controversial, but, I must say, I’ve agreed with some points he has made in the past.

I just took a quick look and he did write a recent column on the Arenas-Crittenton debacle. It touches on some of the issues mentioned today, such as players’ embrace of hip hop/gangsta culture. I think it’s worth a look.

kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/1661486.html

Man the word thug is just white people’s method in today’s society of saying n i g g e r without actually saying n i g g e r.Adolf Hilter was a thug,Gilbert Arenas, Michael Vick & Plaxico Burress are just bigtime dumbasses!

“we ALL know that no one in this country has a more negative public image as the Young Black Male. Sometimes deserved,sometimes not. But the truth is it is there and Young Black Males are the only ones who can repair that image.”

If you’re saying that men are responsible for repairing their own image, I wholeheartedly agree.

Yeah read that this morning on of the few articles lol that we agree on, but definitely have been saying that for years. LOL like in this case cant even count down here how many stupid people I know that have license to firearms – Arenas is definitely not the first…

@DA HONEST TRUTH
“Were they or were they not other players in gun trouble? Do you need more cause I’ll grab them for you. Just say the word!”
___________________________________________________

“THE WORD”

@Down By Law
100% Cosign

@Man, I Just Don’t Care:

The 80’s were known for rough play. The Bad Boys of the Detroit Pistons comes to mind. What about the infamous brawl with the Celtics and 76ers that s*****ed the infamous headliner “Tree Bites Man” in reference to Tree Rollins biting another player. The inception of the “flagrount foul” was a DIRECT result of the 80’s style of play!
_______________________________________________

I’m not really concerned so much with the play on the field. Kevin McHale was one of the roughest, dirtiest, players that ever played the game. The image problem the NBA has is largely concerned with the off-the-field antics of these players. After a while, people eventually come to associate these off-the-field antics with the tattoo-riddled, cornrow-wearing, athletes who are the subject of these headlines.

Thankfully, you have your Grant Hills, Shane Battiers, and Tim Duncans, but I think it’s important to note that these three men come from very different backgrounds (i.e. graduated from college, two-parent home, middle-classed/upper middle-classed upgringings) than your typical newsmaker.

LMAO is Carl Landry still being used as a example of ‘Gun Trouble’ – pathetic. The brother was on his way home Post game from getting some food was in a accident and when upon checking his vehicle for damage the someone in the other car jumped out and dumped rounds at him. What trouble is that again, especially for someone that apparently has no knowledge or has likely ever been to Houston, Texas. LOL I am armed there at all times , just the way of the city and I am hardly in the league..

and whenever you’re ready we can discuss the NFL players as well for this is not limited to the NBA! Its black men in BOTH sports that have these gun issues…

@TXhustla 15

What trouble is that again, especially for someone that apparently has no knowledge or has likely ever been to Houston, Texas.
____________________________________________

I’ve lived in Houston for the last 14 or 15 years, and have never felt that I needed to be strapped to feel safe.

@GIMME A BREAK 78
“I’m not really concerned so much with the play on the field. Kevin McHale was one of the roughest, dirtiest, players that ever played the game. The image problem the NBA has is largely concerned with the off-the-field antics of these players. After a while, people eventually come to *****ociate these off-the-field antics with the tattoo-riddled, cornrow-wearing, athletes who are the subject of these headlines.

Thankfully, you have your Grant Hills, Shane Battiers, and Tim Duncans, but I think it’s important to note that these three men come from very different backgrounds (i.e. graduated from college, two-parent home, middle-cl*****ed/upper middle-cl*****ed upgringings) than your typical newsmaker.”
____________________________________________________

The reason some perceive the NBA (and I can basically include the NFL and Hip Hop) to have an image problem is because of the skewed “reporting” and blantantly prejudiced statements of some critics. Thankfully, most aren’t foolish enough to beleive it.

I could elaborate on the off the court antics of the NBA circa 1980 and beyond but I think it is irrelevant.

I guess there will always be those that accept the opinion of others at face value as “fact.”

“@DA HONEST TRUTH
“Were they or were they not other players in gun trouble? Do you need more cause I’ll grab them for you. Just say the word!”
___________________________________________________

“THE WORD””

Stephen Jackson, Marquis Daniels, Jamaal Tinsley, Sebastian Telfair, Jamaal Tinsley…

Just let me know if you need more.

I guess we’re well over that 8 in 17 years, huh?

Give it up MIJDC. the NBA is full of gun toting thugs!

@Man, I Just Don’t Care

The reason some perceive the NBA (and I can basically include the NFL and Hip Hop) to have an image problem is because of the skewed “reporting” and blantantly prejudiced statements of some critics. Thankfully, most aren’t foolish enough to beleive it.
________________________________________________

Here’s a “man in the mirror” question for you:

Although it is agreed that SOME media outlets report on some athletes with a skewed ideological bent, to what extent is Gilbert Arenas and others like him who find themselves in the same media crosshairs responsible for their own “image problems”?

I agree 100%

thugs and hoods…with money

WTF does an editor of Forbes knows about the NBA, and in particular who’s carrying a gun and who isn’t? This article is ridiculous, he even tried to slam President Obama.

@DA HONEST TRUTH
“Stephen Jackson, Marquis Daniels, Jamaal Tinsley, Sebastian Telfair, Jamaal Tinsley…

Just let me know if you need more.

I guess we’re well over that 8 in 17 years, huh?

Give it up MIJDC. the NBA is full of gun toting thugs!”
___________________________________________________

Stephen Jackson and Sebastian Telfair were cited in the original 8 from the commentary!

YOU LISTED JAMAL TINSELY TWICE YOURSELF!

GTFOH. Stop commenting to me. You are just getting more and more ridiculous.

I agree with him.

@Give it up MIJDC. the NBA is full of gun toting thugs!”

Lets see aside from the fact that you mentioned the same players from the article and twice even in the same sentence , that aside I can name the ones you have mentioned over the past couple years and you will still be well far short to make any intelligible statement that it is ‘full of thugs’

Lets make this simple so from 2008-2009 Rosters from NBA.COM the NBA has 432 players, so lets take your example with 4 players and the way you calculate a percentage is pretty easy – thats a .009 percentage – lets go for a absurd number like 15 with gun incidents thats .034 percentile of the TOTAL league , welcome to the basics – try harder…

@GIMME A BREAK 88
“Here’s a “man in the mirror” question for you:

Although it is agreed that SOME media outlets report on some athletes with a skewed ideological bent, to what extent is Gilbert Arenas and others like him who find themselves in the same media crosshairs responsible for their own “image problems”?”
____________________________________________________

That’s like asking to what extent are people responsible for being stereotyped. LOL.

The answer is none. GILBERT ARENAS should be subjagated to the consequences of HIS actions. No more, no less.

Do you believe GRANT HILL should be grouped with GILBERT ARENAS on the likes that they have the same empolyer (they don’t have the same employer but for the sake of argument)? The entire rationale is incredibly ignorant and insulting to my intelligence and morality.

This is what happens when you give a thug that much money:

Indiscriminate sex
Drugs
Booze
Partying
Chromed out rims
Excessive Spending
Thuggin
Guns/Violence
Adultery

He was wrong!!!! They are wanna be THUGS.

Lol its funny how people can get black folks to turn on each other.cant condone what gilbert did but does that mean everyone in the nba is a thug?there is alot o positive things that these guys (and the nfl guys) do that you never hear about,we only know what the media wants us to know and you dumbasses soak it all in.i aint ready to turn my back on a whole group of brothas for the bad deeds of a few.

Most of the white players in the NBA and NFL are thugs too.

“I live mine in accordance to Si vis pacem, para bellum – If you wish for peace, prepare for war…”

Can’t you just carry Mace?

@FiveStarish: True that! LMAO about the tat comment!

@Sydney™

“The media is far from perfect, but I don’t think reporters/columnists are to blame for self-inflicted conditions.”

Precisely. There will always be some journalists who present the facts with integrity and others who make provocative statements (both true and false) just to get a rise out of folks. Hopefully, the powers that be will not be distracted by outside voices and issue a punishment that fits Arenas’ infraction.

Um, duh??? Recruiters do not push education. The high school coaches and guidance counselors do not push education. The claim to fame is hooping will get you outta da hood.

That hood mentality is taken onto the court. But no one cares how it affects the player(s) as long as they keep those arena seats filled.

GILBERT ARENAS fuggs up so the ENTIRE NBA should accept his punishment and negative publicity??????

GTFOH! For every Gilbert Arenas there are several Chris Pauls, LeBron James, Kevin Garnetts etc.

Pure ignorance coming from my own people.

It never surprises but always disappoints.

I have to disagree, the NBA is full of WANNABE thugs.

I agree MH! Wannabees and fake azz busters! NBA knows this but won’t say anything public. Only a few are given the media title of role models and other are like Jayson Williams.

I have to say I somewhat agree with the editor. If I saw any of them in the elevator I would grab my purse. Not sure if it’s these few bad apple or the tree, but the way they conduct themselves is not the least bit appropriate or maybe thats all they know/want to know.

@Man, I Just Don’t Care

My Comment: Although it is agreed that SOME media outlets report on some athletes with a skewed ideological bent, to what extent is Gilbert Arenas and others like him who find themselves in the same media crosshairs responsible for their own “image problems”?”

Your response: That’s like asking to what extent are people responsible for being stereotyped. LOL.
THE ANSWER IS NONE.

_______________________________________________

You keep contradicting yourself. According to you, in one breath HIS actions and HIS image have nothing to do with one another (see comment above), but in the next breath, he should face the consequences ( See your comment: I SPECIFICALLY said that GILBERT should have to suffer the consequences of HIS actions).

My point is that Gilbert Arenas’ image problem is because of Gilbert Arenas’ actions–no one else’s. Grant Hill doesn’t have the same image problem ol’ Gilbert does, he needn’t worry about it. All I’m saying is he for whom the shoe fits should wear it, but you’re acting as if I am speaking Cantonese.

Ok AND??? What is the point of him saying this if he isn’t going to point out ALL the thugs in Hockey, Skateboarding, Snowboarding, Free Fall, Dirt Bike, NASCAR etc? WTF?

Also why some of you acting so dense? Am I the only one who has read about the different athletes getting ROBBED and KILLED while out in public just driving around??? Are they not to protect themselves from those looking to prey on their success? My only issue is GET PROPERLY TRAINED and GET A LICENSED PIECE. Also don’t pull it out over dumb shyt like gambling debts….

Man, I just don’t care™
1/5/10, 17:10:PM
GILBERT ARENAS fuggs up so the ENTIRE NBA should accept his punishment and negative publicity??????
GTFOH! For every Gilbert Arenas there are several Chris Pauls, LeBron James, Kevin Garnetts etc.
Pure ignorance coming from my own people.
It never surprises but always disappoints.
________________________________________________

SOME of your own people. lol But I get what you are saying…

If you are rich enough to need a weapon to protect yourself then you should pay for security and body guards.

If you read the history of the black athletes who opt for the thug mentality, you will discover that they were all raised in single parent homes without a father!!! 90% of the black males in prison were raised without fathers and with irresponsible mothers. We need to address this ignorance and put these fools on blast for their behavior. The NBA is big business and there is no way the owners of these franchises are going to let these ghetto ignorant thugs wreck their business and fortune. The NBA is gonna go off-shore to find new talent and who can blame them? This is a mess! F**king thugs ruin things for everybody.

did he say something that wasn’t true?

Most people who made their money from being smart don’t wear tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry in public also.

CAPTAIN BARKY you are a low life section 8 racist negro!!!

I thought it was cool to be a thug? At least that’s what all the rappers say. Please any time they give black Americans money it’s so you can act like this. They want you to. That’s why it’s so rampant because dummies think it’s cool. Losers.

@Truth Hurts

I’m not a big hockey fan, but apparently you are–so could you enlighten me on 3 current professional hockey players that have had brushes with the law (only gun/violence cases, no traffic tickets, please) within the last three years?

@DV

Since when does having a gun amount to thuggery? What you use the gun for has a big part in that.
________________________________________________

The answer to your question is when you pull it out on your teammate over a gambling debt.

for Gimmeabreak

Jailed ex-pro hockey player Mike Danton was granted full parole after a 3-hour hearing today. He will be released within a few days from the minimum-security Kingston prison where’s he’s serving his sentence. The National Parole Board accepted the advice of Corrections staff who said he poses a low risk to reoffend. A psychologist concluded he was an “exceptional candidate” for release.” Danton said his father, Steve Jefferson, was the real target of the failed murder-for-hire plot that put him behind bars in 2004

Also

“Patrick Kane, a hockey player for Chicago Blackhawks was accused of robbing a cabbie. Drafted 1st overall in 2007 by the Chicago Blackhawks. … How could our little lightweight ever commit a crime over a measly 20-cents?”

“hockey player Jere Karalahti is still in jail on drug charges”

You’re a dummy Bill.. Why don’t you read a book- one not by your false historians. His comment relates so keep it moving fool.

pft.

Ok Bill. I’m not going to get into statistics with you but from what you write you don’t seem any better than the negros you talk so badly of. Seems like you can’t do good yourself boy.

@uhh yeah ok.

Cool, thanks. I know hockey is much more popular in Canada than it is here. How does the Canadian public perceive those players? Are they considered anomalies, or are the considered symptomatic of a larger problem within the NHL? (I’m guessing they can’t be receiving a lot of press if you had to google them, but I could be wrong.)

@D.V.

Although your point is well taken, I still think the unwarranted brandishing of a weapon by grown men is thuggery. Stupidity also, but definitely thuggery.

I’m an avid Scrabble player. I can’t imagine pulling out a gun on someone arguing over a triple word score. If I did, I would consider it an act of thuggery, because the only reason I can think of to brandish a weapon in an unwarranted manner would be to intimidate the person on the other end of the barrel AKA thuggery.

im really tired of peope getting drugthru the mud on this site! so many people are put on blast here and i never say anything defense bcause i know its entertainment but gil is no thug. and like an above poster sad…if anything,,,,the nba is full of wanna be everythings except what tey actually are and thats human nature.

let me tell you something.

gil is one of the sweetest people you could ever meet. he comes from a good family and eventhogh he is goofy, he is a perfect gentleman. people do things out of character sometimes. give the boy a break. nobody’ perfect!

Actually they get more flack for their violent antics on the ice than anything else. A few high profile cases here and there but they die down pretty fast.

Also the fans themselves have been known to be pretty violent- even for the little kids. Their parents go nutz.

The crowd loves it though so.. meh

Well on that level I think you should have more responsiblity for self. Especially with guns. Are you kidding me? give him a break for that kind of stupidity? That’s his own fault. Like really, who does that?

Many of these guys have been coddled since they first showed athletic ability in junior high — and far too many don’t seem to know the difference between fantasy land and real life.

If the facts are as reported concerning Arenas, I hope he is treated just as some guy who stocks shelves at WalMart would be treated, under the same circmstances. Enough excuse making for grown a$$ men.

I agree the league is full of thugs. Whether they were raised by single parents or not Athletes are adults and should know how to conduct themselves accordingly. How many times are people going to sing that same tune about being raised by a single parent? That doesn’t give anyone the right to parade around town like a fool. You get no passes in life for s— you know you shouldn’t be doing as an adult. 5 years old okay but over 18? give me a break people!

@Gimmeabreak

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Are you as fine as you look in your pic?

@Wellhung

First of all, what a name! *blush*

Secondly, thanks for the cosign.

If tat’s and thuggery were such a big problem,why not go after white rocker’s the same way?
think

If the NBA is full of thugs, then what the hell is the NHL full of? Hell, the NHL fights right on the ice @ damn near every game.

Sure, many of the players are immature and perhaps act ghetto at times, but thugs… a few, yeah.

Overall, the NBA does more philanthropy and community outreach than all the other leagues put together. Doesn’t sound thuggish to me.

Bottom line is an editor from Forbes has no room to call NBA players thugs, when corporate thugs are screwing Americans and the rest of the world over every second of the hour. Pot meet kettle.

Full of thugs, and wanna be thugs. (Gilbert Arenas)

I’m one with my gun. I love it like my first son it protects me and makes sure the Jakes Respect me

this article made me go download that.
stic.man is the kraken.

And they are still single. lol

Last post for real—-

How about a shout out to the hard working brothers!!! I love yall!

how bout’ the nba is full of WANNA B THUGS?????????????????????? they are all str8 MARKS except for a few of them and damn it i mean VERY FEW of them!!!

Meaningless bullshit. There are more “thugs” on Wall Street, which Forbes magazine should stick to reporting on. From what evidence does he support this claim of widespread NBA gun ownership?

You want to know who owns the most guns in America? White males living in southern states. And after Obama’s election, they began to aggressively stockpile them out of fear he was going to rewrite the nation’s gun ownership laws (which he never claimed he was going to do). The good old white boys just had a fear of a black president moment.

The NBA is full of thugs. If the majority of players were some Tiger Woods-like characters, yall would be pouncin on them, calling them cornballs and stuff.

[...] are not thugs, it is only a minor few that have stepped off the sidewalk. Sorry brutha, but it's common knowledge that your people are making the sport look bad. It's ironic that if hockey players had pulled guns [...]

[...] Basketball Association commissioner David Stern would love to bring legalized gambling throughout the country [...]