Why Floyd “Money” Mayweather Is The Smartest Athlete In Sports (Round 3 of 3)

Show Me The “Money”

What does a defensive prizefighter whom has mastered his affairs inside and outside of the ring mean in terms of the boardroom? The C.E.O. of “any company USA” will tell you “it’s all about the bottom line.” Mayweather’s Bottom line is as such:

• 2014: Mayweather earned $105 million during the past 12 months for 72 minutes of work in the ring for fights against Canelo Alvarez and Marcos Maidana. The payday puts Mayweather atop Forbes’ annual list of the world’s highest-paid athletes for the second time in three years.”
• 2013: Mayweather signed a 30 month 6 fight deal in upwards of $200 million with Showtime(CBS). Forbes labeled the deal as “The richest individual athlete deal in sports”. The Mayweather vs. Canelo fight dubbed “The One” (The highest grossing fight in boxing history) breaks the record earning $150 million with 2.2 million pay per view purchases (The previous record was held by Mayweather vs. De La Hoya). Mayweather was guaranteed 41.5 million for “The One”, with the possibility of earning an additional 40 to $60 million once all the pay per view tallies are done. “The One” also holds the all time record in boxing history by selling $20 million at the gate and selling out the MGM Grand Arena in 24 hours.
• 2012: For less than an hours worth of work for dispatching of Victor Ortiz in September 2011 and winning a unanimous decision in May 2012 against Miguel Cotto, Mayweather added another title to his mantle. Mayweather topped out the Forbes list as the highest paid athlete in sports, earning $85 million in salary without any additional income from an endorsement deal. No Nike, no Adidas, no Reebok, no endorsement deals whatsoever. Compare this to Tiger Woods who was ranked number 3 on the Forbes list earning a grand total $59.4 million in 2012. The bulk of Wood’s earnings came directly from his endorsements. Woods earned 4.4 million in salary and 55 million in various endorsement deals. If Woods had to rely on his Salary/winnings alone, he wouldn’t have even made the list of the top 200 highest paid athletes. The lack of an endorsement deal can translate to a lack of capital (although Mayweather doesn’t seem to be at a loss without one).However, without having a company/corporation to answer to, the lack of an endorsement deal can also lead to complete freedom and autonomy. Mayweather is not governed by a company’s ideology, nor does he need a company’s approval to make decisions. An athlete (who is usually a walking advertisement/billboard for one company or several, has to ride that fine line of performance and clean corporate image if they want to get paid (see Tiger Woods). Where would Michel Jordan or Nike be without each other? An athlete who could cut the strings of a corporate puppeteer and still be both relevant and profitable simply didn’t exist until now. Mayweather walks on the line that he draws for himself and that in it-self is priceless.
• 2007: Mayweather vs. De La Hoya was the biggest boxing pay per view event of all time earning $2.4 million pay per view purchases and raking in $137 million dollars in pay per view revenue. These are just a few snippets or highlights of how Mayweather’s drawing power and marketability translate into dollars and cents. Several articles can be written on how Mayweather’s economic footprint has impacted sports, television, or the state of Nevada (where he usually fights).

Photo Ervins Strauhmanis

Hunger of a Challenger, Heart of a Champion

Like a lot of athletes, Mayweather’s lives a lavish lifestyle within his means, which usually includes intense partying. What separates Mayweather from other athletes is the fact that he does not drink alcohol or nor does he do recreational drugs. Mayweather leads a clean lifestyle which is not easy to do when his vast amount of resources leave access to alcohol and drugs virtually unlimited. Mayweather walks around in fighting shape year round, which shows extreme dedication to his craft. Rarely if ever, do you see Mayweather tired or running out of gas in the ring, because of his extreme conditioning. Much criticism (whether it be self inflicted or not) is thrown at Mayweather because he makes it a point to constantly flaunt his wealth. It certainly rubs many people the wrong way. Perhaps Mayweather is following the business model of America, which is to globally flex its muscles and flaunt its wealth. Contrarily, more attention should be given to how Mayweather has transformed himself from boxing pawn to the orchestrator of the chess match without having to change or compromise his style of fighting. He has transformed himself from contender to champion and has stayed champion for 17 years. Mayweather has had his hand raised countless times in the ring and in the arena of business. He has climbed to the top of the Forbes list as the highest paid athlete in sports two times over, and has brokered the richest individual deal in sports without a high school education. Mayweather has become a self-made millionaire while practicing his credo “Hard work and dedication”. Having the discipline to become champion is one thing, but maintaining that discipline to  remain champion for nearly two decades without compromise is surely another.

Why Floyd “Money” Mayweather Is The Smartest Athlete In Sports (Round 2 of 3)

Calling The Shots

In boxing, skills alone don’t always pay the bills. In the fight game, marketability and promotion rule the day. What separates the elite/megastars who receive accolades and astronomical paydays, from the non-elite, is the backing of a well-known promotion company. Simply put, a fighter who can get people interested in their career (whether they pay to see him win, or pay to see him lose) is a proverbial cash cow. Mayweather’s brilliance is not just confined to the ring, he succeeds out side of the ring because of his marketing genius…

Mayweather is a technical wizard in the ring. He is almost impossible to hit and doesn’t take chances that would get him hurt or knocked out. Ultimately Mayweather is a defensive fighter. Defensive fighters usually make their opponents miss, wear them down, and usually win on points. Those who don’t know or care about the intricacies or nuances of boxing could interpret the skill set of a defensive fighter as boring. Boxing is one part show business, and two parts blood sport…People pay to see punches thrown with reckless abandon resulting in blood and carnage. Not too far removed from the days of the ancient Roman coliseum, people generally lust for engaging blood splattering, gruesome knockdown, and drag out fights. On the contrary, defensive fighters are the embodiment of physical chess players whose strategy is calculated and methodical.

Some of the greatest defensive fighters of the past and present generations are: Ronald “Winky” Wright, Pernel “Sweet Pea” Wittiker, Bernard Hopkins, Guillermo Rigondeaux, and Floyd Mayweather Junior. With the exception of Floyd Mayweather Junior, and to some degree Bernard Hopkins (much later in his astounding career) the other fighters are not household names to the casual boxing fan. The ramifications of being an exceptional defensive fighter are low-interest, and low-popularity, which equals to low marketability. Lack of public interest equates to lack of intrigue and drawing power. Unfortunately, most times the aforementioned fighters were often avoided in their prime because their elite skill level prevented both prospects and champions from looking good against them. (Too much risk, and too little reward).

Incredibly, Mayweather has found a way to be one of the most recognized, if not the most recognized fighters in boxing despite being a defensive fighter, and without having to be a pawn in the sport of boxing or some shady promoter/promotion company. Instead, Mayweather had the foresight to buy himself out of his previous promotional contract for $750,000 and establish his own promotion team, Mayweather Promotions. In the past Mayweather partnered with other promotion companies in order to stage fights at his leisure.

Mayhem Press Conference in NY

The significance of an athlete having this kind of power is revolutionary, and unparalleled in sports. Basically, Mayweather promotes his own events, which means he dictates the venue, terms, and opponents who make the most business sense to him. In addition, Mayweather doesn’t have to give a promoter a cut of his prize money and receives the lion’s share of his earnings (which is the way it should be). After all, Mayweather is the one in the ring with an opponent who is literally trying to knock his block off. Mayweather being a boxer/promoter, in a sense, means he is a pugilistic “hit man for hire”. He can put out a “contract” on a potential opponent and execute that contract and receive payment in full after his opponent has been knocked off the list.

Imagine a multimillion-dollar athlete who is not bound by ownership, a front office, coaching staff, sponsorship, or a multi-year contract. Instead, that athlete is more of an independent contractor who can play for the team of his choice, and leave the team by choice without penalty. This would completely change the outlook on sports giving the athlete the majority of leverage, and bargaining power. This is exactly what Mayweather is doing before our eyes and is quietly changing the landscape of boxing/sports. Recently, Mayweather signed a 5 to 6 fight deal with Showtime due to the leverage and bargaining power that he created for himself. Although Mayweather spent many years fighting on HBO, he was not bound to HBO therefore, was able to take his talents to HBO’s rival Showtime, for a more lucrative deal without penalty.

Mayweather often times plays the “heel” or the bad guy to gain a psychological advantage over his opponents, and to garner interest for his fights. This tactic was also used to perfection by the likes of Muhammad Ali. Throwing out ridiculous barbs, or sound bytes to incite fan frenzy or to manipulate the media is Mayweather’s specialty. Mayweather is a master at promoting himself and manipulating emotion that turn intrigue into dollar signs. Whether people pay to see him win, or pay to see him lose, Mayweather gets people to pay, all the while making his opponents pay in the process.

Why Floyd “Money” Mayweather Is The Smartest Athlete In Sports (Round 1 of 3)

Boxing is the art of hitting your opponent and not getting hit in return. Mayweather is perhaps the most elusive prizefighter in boxing history, both literally and figuratively. His mastery of ring generalship, and intelligent defense is unparalleled in boxing regardless of weight class.  Mayweather is not only an elite boxer; he is one of the smartest athletes in sports…

The Best Offense Is A Good Defense

“According to Bob Canobbio, owner and founder of CompuBox — a computerized scoring system that counts every punch a boxer throws and lands – Mayweather’s average connect rate of 46 percent, compiled during his past nine fights (a “prime” designated by CompuBox), ranks as the best among current active fighters.” “More impressive than Mayweather’s own connect percentage is that of Floyd’s opponents against him. They land a mere 16 percent of punches thrown, the lowest collective figure recorded in CompuBox’s 4,000-fight database.”

In layman’s terms, Mayweather is a defensive wizard. It’s very rare for a boxer to hit him with a clean punch. However on the rare occasion he does get hit, he will not likely be hit with the same punch twice. Some people comment (negatively) on the fact that Mayweather does not take enough chances in the ring, and fault Mayweather for not throwing caution to the wind, or becoming the victim of a brutal knock out.

Photo Bryan Horowitz

Mayweather’s intelligence is understated in this regard, he dishes out measured punishment yet rarely gets hit or takes substantial amounts of damage in return. Cumulative damage can subtract years from an athletes professional shelf life (especially in boxing where boxers can suffer from long-term brain damage as a result of repeated blows to the head). Most times longevity is synonymous with domination and that can be lucrative in the long run. Mayweather’s current record is (46 wins 0 losses and has been reigning champion for 17 years). Speaking in terms of long-term effects, to date there’s no such thing as the boxers retirement union, or an organization that caters to boxers who have literally taken too many punches. Nor do boxers have a sanctioning body, or any sort of legal representation to look out for their welfare before, during, or after their career is over. So, what happens to a boxer who is debilitated physically, mentally, and eventually financially?

It’s almost something out of Roman gladiator adage. Once reflexes have diminished, and a journeyman boxer is no longer marketable to promoters/lanistae, they are discarded and left to their own devices. Old highlights of their finest moments are revered and replayed to entertain the masses. What about the debilitated fighter? Where does that leave him? Does he even remember those events? Mayweather strategically puts himself in a position both inside and outside of the ring to take minimum risks, yet yield maximum rewards despite his critics. That is a 1-2 combination that is not taught in the recesses of some dismal, sweaty gym, or by a world-class trainer.

 

 

 

 

 

Boxing Ain’t Dead But It Sure Needs A Check Up

Boxing is both beautiful and dangerous. Maybe the combination of those two attributes is what makes the sport so alluring. Or maybe its the lust for unpredictability, bravado, and excitement that gets people so riled up for a prize-fight. Whatever the scenario, boxing has been around for centuries whether in the form of prize-fighting, self-defense, or staying in shape. Unfortunately, boxing has been plagued with unsavory practices and those practices have marred an otherwise awe-inspiring sport. In recent years, boxing has been overwhelmingly inundated with ceremony and politics as opposed to showcasing the age-old skills that have withstood the test of time. There are so many contenders and champions who put their reputation, pride, and sometimes lives on the line to showcase their skills and to find out who the best man in the ring is. These combatants are modern-day gladiators who do battle to receive recognition and compensation. Because boxers are wired differently than most people, referees in the ring and doctors outside of the ring protect boxers (sometimes from themselves) from taking unnecessary punishment. However, more needs to be done to protect and preserve the tradition of boxing and it’s participants without compromising it’s integrity. Boxing has indeed withstood the test of time but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t evolve to be made to be a better, safer, and more entertaining sport. Here’s are 12 ways (rounds) in which boxing could use a much-needed and a rather invasive check up.

Round 1

Legal Representation:

Boxers need to have legal representation, a union, and a retirement plan similar to what the NBA has in place for its players. It is inconceivable and barbaric that in the 21st century boxers do not have an organized system in place that provides them with some sort of pension, insurance, financial advisement, or an objective legal party who can help them dispute any legal grievances. Not only do boxers entertain the public and provide excitement and inspiration to those who follow the sport, boxers also generate a substantial amount of money for those who are able to profit off their pain, sweat and blood. Protection and advisement would help boxers stay healthy longer and may help them to reap and keep the rewards of their labor.  Boxers should not discarded and left to their own devices once they can no longer perform as the gladiators were in ancient Rome.

Round 2

Random Drug Testing:

All boxers should be subject to undergo random drug testing. A system needs to be in place to protect boxers from “the punches that they don’t see coming”. It’s one thing to use P.E.D.’s (Performance Enhancing Drugs) to hit a baseball, but it’s entirely a different ball game when a trained boxer hits another boxer with a performance enhanced punch. That punch could slur someone’s speech, end someone’s career, or take someone’s life.

Round 3

Lifetime Ban For Repeat Offenders:

Boxers and trainers, who have a history of using illegal substances such as Plaster of Paris or P.E.Ds. should be stripped of their purses, fined, and banned from boxing for life. The stakes are too high for trying to gain a competitive edge in boxing. What works in the ring can work outside of the ring as well…Severe punishment sends a strong message.

Round 4

Leadership:

Boxing needs to have one governing body that polices promoters, referees, and repeat offenders. Just as the NBA, MLB, and NFL have commissioners to protect both the players and the integrity of their sports, boxing needs to have someone who can enforce rules and eliminate unsavory practices and hold people accountable. Boxing is a beautiful sport, but the corruption that resides in it is akin to the days of prohibition. Why are we still ok with this?

Round 5

Open or Transparent Scoring:

In mostly every other sport, scores displayed out in the open for the fans and for those who are engaged in competition to see. The scores tabulated by each judge should be displayed by round for everyone to see. Not only would this bring more excitement to boxing, but it will force boxers to adjust their game plan because they know the score round by round. Why do boxers and their corners need to play guessing games until the end of the fight only to be shocked by the outcome? How many times have we watched a fight and couldn’t believe what the scores were? Let’s remove the shroud of doubt and keep scoring open and visible.

Round 6

Instant Replay:

If there were any questionable knock downs that the referee missed, then he should be able to go to the replay between rounds or after the fight. There are too many times where a fight can be won and lost on a missed call by the referee for instant replay not to be implemented. The referee should instruct the judges to reflect the missed call in their scoring. Clearly, we have the technology, why aren’t we using it?

Round 7

Accountability:

Judges need to be held accountable for their scoring because they often times determine who wins or loses a fight. Wins, but especially losses are crucial in boxing and can derail a potential prospects career. Worse yet, a few losses (whether controversial or not), can turn a former prospect into an obscure journeyman, and judges should not have that kind of unchecked power.

Round 8

Youthful Injection:

Some diehard boxing fans despise Mixed Martial Arts and visa versa. One thing that boxing can learn from MMA is it’s marketing strategy. Mixed Martial Arts demographic represents a younger audience. Statistically boxing shows that it’s generally for older people. Sometimes boxing also feels like it’s for older people. Younger people and women have money too and they should be targeted more. Youth can be invigorating and can inject new ideas, new blood, and new excitement into boxing. After all, people who follow boxing are always looking for the next new young prospect, so being young and strong can sometimes be an asset as opposed to being old, stale and set in one’s ways.

Round 9

Unbiased Announcing:

Die hard boxing fans know that sometimes what they are seeing and what the announcers are saying are two entirely different things. Sometimes a person may even have to resort to putting a fight on mute in order to see the fight progressing as it is, and not how the announcers are calling it (which is usually pro the favorite). The announcers should objectively call a fight how the fight actually is unfolding and not how they want to see it unfold.

Round 10

End the Promotion Cold Wars:

Promotion companies bickering over contracts and keeping the fighters attached their companies fighting each other are holding the sport hostage. This practice denies the fans of seeing the best competition being pitting against each other. It also robs the fans of seeing the best fights possible being made. Speaking of robbery, the promoters are the only one’s who win in this scenario because they essentially own both the horses running in a two-horse race. Are Marquez and Pacquiáo going to duke it out for a 10th time? Seriously, let’s hope not.

Round 11

No More Home Cookin’:

Boxers have an advantage in their respective home towns or in certain areas where they fight pretty often. Sometimes that advantage leads to an undeserved victory when a fighter is in his hometown. How is that possible? How can “objective/professional” judges be influenced by the crowd or by a specific location? Everyone loves their mother’s home cooking, but there’s no room in mama’s kitchen for referees and judges.

Round 12

One True Champion, One Title:

If you ask anyone who won the World Series, the Superbowl, the NBA Finals, or the World cup, there’s always one team who won therefore, there’s only one definitive answer. Ask the same question in boxing and the answer turns into multiple choice. There are too many factions or versions of a championship or title per weight class/division. To eliminate paper champions and in order to have one true champion, there needs to be one champion or title holder for each division. Everyone loves a champion, so it’d be nice to know who the true champion really is in boxing.

Why We Fight

Photo: Axel Schwenke

A fight, is much more than two men in a ring grunting and throwing punches. A fight is a physical chess match, a battle of wills, and mastery of self-control. Mentally, a fighter must remain calm in the midst of imminent danger and trust his training. If a fighter becomes too fearful to act, or too enraged and he begins to act impulsively, he is lost and he will lose. Physically, a fighter must remain on balance so that he can pounce on any opportunity afforded to him, or deflect and evade potential pitfalls. A fight is synonymous with life. Whether we abhor the word, the act or the ramifications of it, we are all fighters. When we get knocked down we have to choose to get back up. Through our experiences we learn to keep our balance and navigate through life’s obstacles as they appear. We choose to shake off the cobwebs, dust ourselves off, and battle with oncoming obstacles and our own internal struggles.

As infants, we propel ourselves into this unfamiliar world uncomfortably kicking and screaming. We fight to become part of a world in which we have no knowledge of. Forced out of our 9-month lease without warning, we fight for a new lease in the residence of the unknown. The parents to whom we are born, the delivery room, and the doctor are unbeknownst to us. We do not have the cognizance or consciousness to comprehend what we are doing. However, with every fiber of our being and with every instinct, we do what we know: we fight to be here, we fight for our lives.The opening bell rings and two fighters bound forward toward each other, stopping just short of striking distance, circling, searching, and probing for openings and weakness. Two fighters, two different fighting styles: The Boxer, light on his feet, the consummate strategist the general who only fights on his terms. School of thought: hit and not be hit. The motto: stick and move. The other is the Brawler: plodding, brash, relentless and foreboding. The Brawler is a wrecking ball of calculated chaos, a juggernaut, forever inching forward like sand through an hourglass. School of thought: whoever wields the power makes the rules. “I’ll take two of your punches to deliver one of mine.” Motto: search and destroy: Two fighters, two schools of thought, and two different routes to the same destination—victory.

As wide-eyed adolescents, we are anti-establishment; we fight to rebel. We fight our parent’s old, stale ideologies and our former childish ways. We are young, yet we fight to be old. We fight to find ourselves, yet we already have all the answers. Our bodies fight against us, growing haphazardly and more awkwardly by the day. We clumsily grow lanky and tall; our voices crack and deepen; yet we become more impulsive and shallow. Although erratic, we fight for identity and to be heard and recognized.  Our hormones rage from the depths of our primal instincts and fight to envelop our senses. We fight for the endless summer, or for the love that we think will last forever. We fight for everything with reckless abandon because we are too young to know consequence. We fight for today because tomorrow is synonymous with having detention in purgatory.

Midway through the fight, the Brawler is frustratingly weary of getting duped into traps set by the Boxer. The Brawler dislikes marching to the beat of the Boxer’s strategic drum, and the constant thumping which ensues with each snare and kick. The Boxer is the heartbeat, the rhythm, carrying the pace of the fight. Like a maestro, the Boxer positions, steers, orchestrates the when, and how this dance of destruction will come to pass. The Brawler has made the Boxer conscious of his blunt, brutal, paralyzing power. The Boxer shudders at the all-encompassing tsunami-like force that the Brawler possesses. The Brawler crowds, smothers, overwhelms, and invades the Boxer’s personal space, because he is not there to dance, he is there to break up the party. Both fighters are tired of each other’s methodology, but neither is weary. Resolve and preparation are present, and although fatigue is on the horizon, it has not made cowards of these men, at least not yet.

In adulthood, we fight for the comfort that our livelihoods provide, and we fight for the comfort of accepting ourselves for who we are. We fight for our careers, our passions, and for the recognition that we deserve. We fight to matter; to make a mark in this world, we fight to achieve. We fight to satisfy our childhood dreams, our adolescent fearlessness, and our adult sensibilities. We fight to follow our minds and our hearts so that we can be at peace with ourselves. We fight for the people worth fighting for, the people we choose to be our friends and our lovers. We fight for ideals, for justice, for equality, for the right to be free. We are adults now, and we are treated accordingly. We fight our urges, our impulses and our transgressions because we understand the ramifications of our decisions, and are accountable. No matter what obstacles confront us, we fight to topple them. Whether we strategically maneuver or whether we charge in head first, we fight to surpass our hurdles. We fight to hold on to our dreams, and just because we are adults doesn’t mean that we are too old to chase them.

The championship rounds, the late stages of the fight have seemingly come out of nowhere. Fatigue has revealed its ghastly form to both the Boxer and the Brawler. The Boxer’s once rhythmic concerto has been reduced to nothing more than a few sporadic notes. The Brawler’s once typhoon-like force has been diminished to a scattered thundershower, but both men remain resolute and dangerous still. An abrupt punch momentarily catches the unsuspecting Boxer by surprise and knocks him off his feet. “…Four, Five, Six, Se-ven.” The dazed Boxer didn’t hear the first few numbers in the count and drags himself to his feet while the Brawler comes in for the kill. The emboldened Brawler leaps in with his storm-like power intensifying by the second. The Boxer battered, but not beaten, conjures up the music for one last dance and catches the Brawler in his fervor of imbalanced haste. “…Four, Five, Six, Se-ven.” The Brawler didn’t hear the first few numbers in the count, nor did he see the last two punches of the four-punch combination that the Boxer landed. The Brawler drags himself to his feet…

Photo: kris krüg

In the beginning we fought with all we had to come into this world. In the end, we fight to stay in this world for as long as we can. We fight for our brothers and sisters, for our children; we fight to keep those closest to us safe. We fight to beat the odds, for more time in the day, and we fight our fears. We fight to get up when we are knocked down, even when all we have left, is the will to rise. In the end, the Boxer and Brawler fought each other, but more importantly, they fought the versions of themselves that they feared most. They fought doubt, fear, fatigue, and that voice in their head telling them to quit. They fought because that’s what they were born to do. They fought because it’s the only thing that they knew how to do…

Why do you fight?

 

 

Big Brother Is Watching And The NBA Is Listening

Photo: Ludovic Bertron

We live in a society where everyone and everything is watched, shared, and chronicled. Our moments of happiness and our most vulnerable moments are captured, stored, and passed along to both friends and strangers. Sometimes we willingly share those moments and sometimes we are not aware of how a snapshot in time can be perceived or taken out of context. Big Brother is always watching/baby sitting us, and his gaze is as infinite as it is indiscriminate. He is in our workplace, on our corners, and even in our pockets. In the right hands Big Brother can absolve and exonerate us, but in the wrong hands Big Brother can be our judge, jury and executioner. At 82, Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers has found himself at the mercy of the forever present Big Brother. Sterling’s racist manifesto was captured and recorded on a cellphone and his tirade has been placed in earshot for all the world to hear. Although we have made great strides in American history in terms of racism, American history also shows that Sterling’s comments were far from shocking. The context of Sterling’s comments cannot be questioned. However, what is questionable is how far we will go to condemn a man who is guilty of making comments (albeit racist comments) in the privacy of his own home.

“Why do you need to be around Black people in public”? “How do these people benefit you”? “Don’t bring them to my games.” These are excerpts from NBA Los Angeles Clipper owner Donald Sterling’s recorded conversation. Ironically, the conversation was part of a lover’s quarrel between he and his well-kept 30-year-old mistress,Vivian Stiviano who is half Mexican and half African-American. The conversation was recorded by Stiviano at Sterling’s home and sent to TMZ. The language, rationale, and reasoning behind Sterling’s comments speak to a southern plantation owner mindset and philosophy of the likes of Willie Lynch. As disgusting and disturbing as the comments were, they are not surprising because they are part of the complex American ideology. America was figuratively built on the premise of freedom of speech and religion, but literally forged from the sweat and back-breaking efforts of slave labor. What’s more damning than Sterling’s comments is how the NBA, its contemporaries, and the public at large have allowed Sterling to be in a position of ownership after he has had a public history of being a racist. Donald Sterling’s track record gets pretty murky when it comes to racism and discrimination. Rightfully so, new Commissioner Adam Silver has imposed a lifetime ban on Donald Sterling from the NBA and a 2.5 million dollar fine  shortly after his comments were released to the public. Silver has made it known that the NBA and the other 29 of its owners plan to vote Donald Sterling out of the fraternity that is the NBA and force Sterling sell the Los Angeles Clippers at its current value. The glaring questions that should be on everyone’s collective lips should be: “Why does an illegally taped recording of an argument between Sterling and his mistress warrant action from the NBA, its contemporaries, and the public at large? Why do the racist comments (made in the privacy of Sterling’s home) hold more weight than what is and has been public knowledge (particularly by the NBA)? Do we have to monitor/censor our words, or remain politically correct in the sanctuary of our own homes? What kind of precedent will this set for us all?

What the NBA was probably thinking after they heard the recording

Every day our privacy is slowly being taken away from us. There are stop and frisk laws, “random” searches, and hundreds of thousands of video cameras tracking our every move. Not to mention the privacy that we willingly give away via our cellphones, and social media like: you tube, instagram and twitter. In a sense we are policing ourselves without realizing how that information could come back to haunt us; as is the case with Donald Sterling. Anonymity and privacy are virtually a thing of the past in our current technological age. If we are not careful, all our homes will turn into proverbial glass houses for our neighbors to peer through, judge, and in some cases take legal action against. We will no longer be able to walk around naked in those glass houses, or say what we feel without fear of reprisal. Fear of how our most intimate conversations, regardless of the context could used against us. Just imagine if someone with whom you are comfortable enough to share a bed with recorded one or more intimate conversation without your knowledge. What would that conversation sound like? Would it be lewd? Would advocates for the politically correct be able to comb thorough those conversations without getting a single tangle in its teeth? Ultimately, would that private conversation cause you to lose your job, or your company for that matter? It’s definitely food for thought…no matter the outcome of Donald Sterling’s racial musings, he is a billionaire with a billion resources at his disposal. If we go down a path where legal action is the result of a what was said in a heated private conversation, where does the line get drawn? If a billionaire with a billion resources cannot elude lady justice in that regard, then what would the fate of the average Joe and his right to privacy be? If Donald Sterling had been judged based on his public track record of discrimination years ago, then his private rants with a love interest would be nothing more than the rants of a crotchety old man. His comments would have melted away in the wind without consequence except for the direction of where the needle of his moral compass pointed.

There have been some questions and accusations swirling around in the news and social media about why African-Americans, particularly the Los Angeles Clipper players and coach Doc Rivers signed contracts to play for a well-known racist owner. The answers go back to the great and complex American ideology. America has been long seen as the land of fresh start and opportunity for immigrants since it’s break off from Great Britain. The Statue of Liberty (a gift from France to celebrate freedom and democracy) and Ellis Island were landmarks that represented freedom and prosperity for immigrants of seeking a better quality of life for their families. After a long arduous trip those landmarks were sites that uplifted the hopes and dreams of immigrants from all over the world. The landmarks were a concrete sign that signified that those immigrants’ hopes and dreams were finally within reach. Immigrants imported from Africa had a slightly different vantage point than most immigrants entering this country. While other immigrants saw America as a land of opportunity, Africans were forcibly corralled and brought to America as captives and were stripped of their rights as men. African immigrants view of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island was severely obstructed by tangled bodies located in the bowels of slave ships. Although virtually every group of immigrants were discriminated against by the ones who arrived here before them, those immigrants still came here on their own volition. In an effort to blend in, avoid detection, and discrimination, immigrants often adopted American culture and even changed their names to conceal their true identities. However, Africans (who have evolved into African-Americans) had little or no rights at all, nor did they have the luxury of physically blending into American society. The perception of Africans or anyone with dark enough features to be confused as such was one of servitude. That perception was passed on and spread throughout every immigrant group that has arrived before and after the slave trade. Meanwhile the physical features of Irish, German, Jewish, or Italian immigrants assisted in assimilation for those groups. There was nowhere for Africans to hide from discrimination nor the perception of servitude as is the case today.

Photo: superde1uxe

Employment issues have plagued the African-American community for as long as the Bureau of Labor has kept track of the work force. African-American unemployment is consistently twice that of their White counterparts according to the Bureau of Labor. Finding employment is twice as hard as it is for their competitors is not the only problem. African-Americans are not represented in positions of power as is the case with the NBA. Although the NBA has received stellar marks in diversity overall, out of the 30 teams that comprise the NBA, there is only one team represented by African-American ownership, and four African-American chief executive officers and presidents.

“While that number may sound low, Lapchick said ” there isn’t another president of color in any of the other professional sports and baseball has only had one for less than one season. In more than 20 years the NFL has never had one. So for the NBA to have four, even if that number is down one, is still a significant statement about the NBA.”

Combined, the three major sports leagues: the NBA, NFL, and MLB  have a grand total of 1 African-American majority owner, Michael Jordan of (the Charlotte Hornets).  However in the NBA, African-Americans represent 76.3% of the players and 18% of office league staff. The NFL, comes in at a distant second with 66% of the players being African-Americans, 0% in ownership and 9% in office league staff. Bringing up the rear is the MLB with 8% of African-American players, 0% in ownership and are represented by 10% of office league staff.  Using the three leagues as a microcosm of the complex idealogy of American culture, to date there has only been 1 African-American president compared to 43 White presidents.

Although African-Americans are the primary driving force on the courts, gridiron, astro turf, of the NBA, NFL, and to a much smaller degree MLB, African-American athletes represent the labor force and have no representation in ownership or in the decision-making processes that take place in the front offices of those leagues. In essence, those players are at the mercy of the complex American ideology and also those ideologies of the racist owners of the Donald Sterling variety. Seeking employment in a company that may or may not have racist views is cold reality that African-Americans have faced ever since they started receiving compensation for their labor. Signing a million dollar contract, or just filling out an application for a job has always come at a heavy price for African-Americans. That price is that there may or may not be discriminatory practices in that company’s history and or by its employees. Unfortunately this is more of the norm than the exception. African-American athletes and average Joe’s put their collective “X’s” on the dotted line to provide for their families and march on, despite discrimination. If it weren’t for long practices of discrimination in sports, athletes like Jackie Robinson, and Muhammad Ali, would probably not have been as monumental to the progression of the intended American ideal of equality. Neither those prominent athletes nor the average African-American have been able to hide from discrimination. More importantly, as Donald Sterling is being forced to sell the Los Angeles Clippers and is ousted out of the NBA, two things are very clear. The times for blending in and hiding from discrimination are over. Fewer people change their names to hide their ethnicity these days. These days, the unblinking Big Brother sees us all and doesn’t see color when he stares at us. Big Brother has now fixed his indiscriminate gaze on what is said in the privacy of our own homes. Those lines used by detectives in countless television shows may soon be amended: “What you say can, and will be held against you in the court of law and also in the privacy of your own home”. If that happens, how long will it be before we are judged on what we think, how we feel, or what’s in our hearts? Fortunately for us, the technology doesn’t exist to detect such things. An interesting question is, what will happen when it does?

 

“Dear Sports, I love you”. The End.

Photo: heyFilbert

My first memories of you date back to when the sun warmed my face and the wind cooled my back. Bright sunny days filled with fresh air, open fields and green grass is where I remember you most. I was a small, scrawny kid, but I was fiery. Maybe that fire is what you saw in me. In you I saw refuge, a place where I could be myself. A place where I could release all the pent-up energy from the school year without being yelled at. At first I couldn’t remember where I’d seen you before or where we’d met. In retrospect, I realize that you were always there waiting silently, subtly beckoning for me to approach you. Our relationship started off slowly. Like most kids, making up silly games: Who could hold their breath the longest, who could throw the farthest, or who could run the fastest. That was my way of flirting with you, too young and naive to know better. The more I saw you, the more intense things became for me. I wanted to hold my breath the longest, throw the farthest, and run the fastest. I wanted to be the best, so I practiced at being better than everyone. Sometimes I got irrational. I would stomp my feet when I lost and at times I even gloated when I won, but I was young. I wasn’t equipped to handle those emotional swings at such a tender age. The only thing I knew was that winning wasn’t all that I enjoyed. I loved the joy of being competitive, competing with my friends next door and pushing myself to be better with each outing. That’s when I realized; I had a crush on you.

Being around you for the next couple of years, helped me understand what I was good at. You helped me realize what my strengths and weaknesses were, and how I could overcome my fears. You taught me how to be gracious in victory and to use defeat as motivation and preparation for success. The best lesson you taught me was that my only competition was myself. I was responsible for pushing myself to my limits and beyond what I thought was possible. My opponent may be bigger, faster, and have more abilities; however, my opponent cannot determine how hard I will try, or how much fire I will walk through to obtain my goal. My opponent cannot bend my will, or tell me when to give up, those are my decisions, and you taught me that. It’s a lesson that I carry with me to this day. I became aware of how much of a physical effect you had on me as well. You literally shaped, and sculpted my body as you saw fit, as if I were putty in your hands. The more proficient I became in my physical tasks, the faster my body responded to you. I felt guilty if I missed a day with you, or if I didn’t give my all. In a sense, I was physically addicted to you. At least that’s what my endorphins told me. As a result, you made me look stronger, feel stronger, and gave me more confidence everyday I spent with you. It was as if you bestowed me with a protective armor that was as weightless as my own skin and bones. You made me feel invincible. I saw how you had done the same for others in the past, and perhaps, will do so again for others in the future, but the gifts you gave me were mine and mine alone.

Photo: Kamilla Oliveira

When I grew up, we stopped seeing each other because I made too many excuses. I was getting older, and felt the need to start a family and focus on my career. Those were all lies I told out of fear of what might happen if I saw you again. I neglected you and as a result and I became complacent, and lazy. The armor that you once helped me forge was dull and heavy and I even gained a few pounds. Could I be as fast, as strong, or as tenacious as I once was? That fire that you saw in me as a child is the same fire that brought me back to you. I wasn’t any of those things that I once was but you didn’t seem to care. Being older and wiser, my perception changed and I started to see things in you that I never saw before. You didn’t care about my gender, race, age, or my weight. You didn’t even care if I were handicapped or what part of town I came from. You never judged me for my years of neglect or for not making an effort see you. When I was ready you were there waiting, just as you had been when I was a scrawny kid. At that moment, I realized that you had always been there waiting silently, subtly beckoning for me to approach you again. This is the moment that I realized that I loved you from the first time I saw you and every moment in between. I understood that whatever I invested in you I would get in return. You’d always be there to help shape my will, desire, and body. In time, you would help restore that luxurious armor that you once gave me. All I had to do was come back and give you the commitment that you so deserved. I’ll never leave you again. Although, you probably don’t need to hear it, I’ll say what I should have said a long time ago… “Dear Sports, I love you”. The end.