Athletic
competition is one of the purest forms of human endeavor. The intensity
of focus and the concentration of effort and energy can serve to eliminate
all other worldly concerns and troubles. Every day across the nation,
millions of people engage in athletic activities for no reason other
than the sheer thrill of participation. However, athletic competition
has become much more than a personal activity in our culture. The
pure spirit of human competition has been deeply corrupted by the
capitalist influences generated by the major sports leagues, advertising
dollars and, most depressingly, collegiate exploitation of the youth.
Because the thrill generated by sports is real and cannot be faked,
as so many other things in our society are, it is perhaps the only
activity which can consistently generate and hold the enthusiasm and
loyalty of so great a part of our culture. As a result, competitions
have now become multimillion dollar marketing events rather than celebrations
of physical and strategic prowess. It is this corruption of human
endeavor that angers so many people, both participants and spectators.
Responding
to the accusation that the NBA was manipulating the officiating to
insure that the big market stars would reach the finals, Harvey Araton,
on May 31, 2005, wrote in the NYT that:
“It
has always been ludicrous to think that Stern [Commissioner of the
NBA] would allow the postseason to become an aerial Quiz Show, given
the possibility that one disenchanted whistle-blower could reduce
the industry to ruin. That said officials are human, they understand
television is the lifeblood of the league and all markets are not
created equal. The outcome of the season typically hangs on how they
define a playoff foul-and by whom.”
This position
is a consistent argument by Araton. On June 10, 2002, Araton attacked
Ralph Nader as a conspiracy theorist for questioning the way in which
the referees allowed Kobe Bryant to knock down Mike Bibby without
getting a call, thereby assuring that the LA Lakers would eventually
win a championship. This time, he specifically revealed the truth
of the conspiracy theorists. Araton stated:
“For
better or worse, stars generally get the big playoff call, but it
is a leap from L.A. to N.J. to imply the games are fixed.”
No one
is yet claiming that the games are fixed. The charge, which Araton
concedes, is that the officiating favors the “stars”.
Where do these so-called “stars” come from? They are created
by the big media outlets. Kobe Bryant was a “star” before
he ever played a credible playoff game. His games were broadcast all
over the country even when he was refusing to make the necessary passes
to win a playoff game. Shaquille O’Neal was a “star”
before he ever won a championship. But Mike Bibby was not a star when
Kobe knocked him down in order to win in the seventh game. Had the
“star call system” not been in place Mike Bibby would
have a championship ring instead of Kobe right now. And the Pistons
are disdainfully described by William C. Rhoden in the NYT on 5/16/05
page D3 as a group assembled by Joe Dumars as a bunch of spare parts.
“He
has assembled a championship team with mostly role players who play
as a team.”
Somehow
this ultimate compliment becomes a disparaging remark in the hands
of the star apologists such as Rhoden. Team play is not admired as
the most sought after goal but is viewed instead is simply as an obstacle
to the “stars”. In fact, Rhoden contends that the “stars”
should be transferred to the big market teams so that basketball can
be more commercial. Even when the beauty of team play is perceived
and understood, it is rejected. Liz Robbins in the NYT 5/22/05 writes:
“By
rotating on instinct, trapping fiercely and attacking the boards,
the Pistons almost made their defense into a thing of beauty in their
Eastern Conference semifinals against an Indiana team that had run
out of comebacks. Almost.” (Sunday Sports Section Page 1)
The reason
it is only almost a thing of beauty is because it does not fit commercial
interests. The Detroit defense is a work of art for anyone who enjoys
team play where the individual is subsumed into the interests of the
team as a whole. But, of course, such players will be victimized by
the star system. Detroit has no big money “stars” and
the calls go against them when they play the big money “stars”.
This is not conspiracy theory. Why? Because everyone admits to it.
It is corruption. But they have lived with the stench of corruption
so long that they do not even notice it. It is called olfactory negation.
Commissioner David Stern should quit whining about the accusations
of corruption. Huge fines of $100,000.00 and $20,000.00 will not change
what everyone knows, and sees on the court with their own eyes. Capitalism
corrupts all professions and it corrupts the sport of basketball.
The corruption
is so pervasive that they do not even know when they are exposing
the corruption. Anyone, who watches the NBA games sees Michael Jordan
making the winning shot in the 6th game against Utah thereby winning
the championship. Even today, we are shown incessantly the scene where
Michael Jordan literally threw Utah’s Bryan Russell out of the
way in order to shoot the “winning” shot. This obvious
foul for all to see was never called. And the NBA, by repeating this
scene every 15 minutes, is celebrating this torture of the rules of
the game. In any pick up game, that shot would be wiped out, not celebrated.
Then when basketball fans complain, they are called purists or worse.
In fact, the only reason given for the stench of corruption is that
it is necessary to address the demands of the market. I agree. The
market demands debasement of the game. Once a sport is consumed by
commercial and market interests, it becomes corrupted and basketball
is no exception.
For instance,
when Wilt Chamberlain dominated the game, he complained that defensive
players were allowed to hang all over him. And it was true but accepted
because it made the game a little more even. Chamberlain was a dominant
player and a little pushing and shoving by smaller players was accepted
as a way to even the contest. That standard was slowly undermined
as basketball became dominated by moneyed interests. The standard
became that those most privileged would also get all the calls. The
lesser players would be called for fouls that the “stars”
would not get. It got to the point that the “stars” got
all the calls. There is absolutely no justification for changing the
rules to favor the most privileged other than the market demands such
to increase the opportunity for easy money.
When the
Pistons won the Miami series on June 5, 2005, the announcers, color
commentators, even the news analysts could not hide their total disappointment.
All they could think of was the loss of ratings and therefore the
loss of money, even if they were not the ones losing the money. Their
comments, their analysis were all anti-Detroit. They could barely
contain their anger. In fact, the courage, intelligence, and character
of the Detroit team was awesome, worthy of tremendous praise that
was never given or was grudgingly acknowledged. Interestingly, Detroit
could easily have been made into the Cinderella team that it was and
become the darling of the country. But that was beyond the immediate
interests of the powers that be. The long term “market”
interests of the sports ruling class is not even considered, not even
by those who would reap huge profits.
There is
a more diabolical and sinister reason why the media and sports establishment
in this country cannot accept the Detroit Pistons for what they are.
The Pistons are the poster child for the working men and women of
this country. The Detroit Pistons are a bunch of working class guys
who work very hard and like the working class are underappreciated
for their efforts. They play as a team. They are not spoiled stars
with egos bigger than their talent. Each player was rejected by the
star system. Ben Wallace. He was willing to work on defense to make
up for his limited offensive skills. Rip Hamilton. He is the best
pure shooter in the league but is always willing to pass the ball
to anyone with a better shot. He is also the best conditioned player
in the NBA which translates into pure effort. Tayshan Prince. His
biggest weakness is to defer to other players rather than demanding
his minutes or points. Chauncy Billups. He was rejected by six different
teams. And Rasheed Wallace. He rejected the star system and was accordingly
punished until he got to Detroit. Antonio McDyess. He was abandoned
by every other team in the league.
In this
country, Blacks are either rich and greedy or poor and lazy—nothing
in between. The fact that that stereotype is untrue is definitional
racism. Calling it commercial does not change the content of the idea.
Just because the sports establishment can make a lot of money by creating
these stars who are black does not absolve the establishment of promoting
racism. It just makes it more easily camouflaged. So many people are
looking for the hero and the athletic talent of these “stars”
is phenomenal so many buy into the star system. They see the Detroit
Pistons for what they are—ordinary players made extraordinary
by their ability to cooperate and support each other. That is not
a lesson that the establishment wants working people to learn. That
is the best explanation why the Pistons are so disrespected in the
national media. Besides, Detroit is the Black city in this country.
The reason
this bunch of wholly admirable working class team players are rejected
is simple racism. The sports establishment in this country wants the
bigger than life “star” because it sells and then distinguishes
them from “ordinary people”. We have to hear about their
conspicuous consumption and disgusting extravagance. They are more
easily targeted like Kobe or O.J. It is a matter of control. If the
players are not stars but hard working athletes, then rewards must
be shared by all the players and the owners are seen as the greedy
capitalists that they are.
Yours in Struggle,
Ronald D. Glotta
220 Bagley, Suite 808
Detroit MI 48226-1409
(313) 963-1320 (313) 963-1325/Fax
rglotta@glottaassociates.com
