J. O'Neal: Proposed Age Limit Racist

[Muck]

Jermaine O'Neal thinks that David Stern is racist because he wants you to be 20 or two years out of high school in order to join the NBA.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2035132

 

[MikeO]

He isn't totally wrong. The ones making the jump from HS to NBA prior to being 20 are about 99.9% black. It does come off as racist.

In other sports (NHL, Tennis, Golf,..etc) jumps like this are made all of the time. Christ, 14 year olds play in the US Open, Wimbldon, and French Open all of the time. But, the vast majority if not all of them in those sports are WHITE!

It's easy to brush off what O'Neal said as just some angry black man thinking his people are being held down again. But he actually has a very valid point.

And his argument about joining the army at 18 but not being able to play basketball for 48 minutes is so true!

 

[MoFinz]

Tennis aint basketball. Hanging and banging with O'neal and you aren't even old enough to buy a beer? Gotta think of the physical responsibility.

Think on it? Would you let an 18 yr old suit up and play DT in the NFL? It's suicide.

O'neal is just ranting and playing the race card

 

[BAMAPHIN 22]

Jermaine O'Neal thinks that David Stern is racist because he wants you to be 20 or two years out of high school in order to join the NBA.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2035132

Quote:

"You don't hear about it in baseball or hockey. To say you have to be 20, 21 to get in the league, it's unconstitutional. If I can go to the U.S. Army and fight the war at 18 why can't you play basketball for 48 minutes?" O'Neal said.

O'Neal has a good point of view. But the wrong choice of words for his argument. I don't think Daivd Stern is a racist in this situation. However, I think Stern position permeates Age Discrimination and denies those individuals the rights to seek employment and/or the right to earn a living in the NBA.

The appearance of Sterns position may seem racist to many. Point and case: From the last 10 years statistics shows that the majority of High School players that opted for the NBA were and are African Americans and this type of proposed legislation only affects the African American players.

With the numerous influx High School players maybe the NBA have become overwhelmed by the youth movement. Maybe times have caught up with the NBA and the owners.

 

[Emskirch]

Just another instance of the man holding ya down.

 

[MoFinz]

Just another instance of the man holding ya down.

"No, YOU da man. And DATS da problem"

taste the booger flavor :

 

[Ferretsquig]

Tennis aint basketball. Hanging and banging with O'neal and you aren't even old enough to buy a beer? Gotta think of the physical responsibility.

Think on it? Would you let an 18 yr old suit up and play DT in the NFL? It's suicide.

O'neal is just ranting and playing the race card

You just cant make assumptions about a person based on their age. Have you ever seen an 18 year old that looked like Lebron? If a player isnt physically able to perform at the highest level then dont draft him. Making an age limit is just an admission of all the owners that their gm's arent competent enough to differentiate between the Lebrons and the Ebis of the world.

 

[MoFinz]

You just cant make assumptions about a person based on their age. Have you ever seen an 18 year old that looked like Lebron? If a player isnt physically able to perform at the highest level then dont draft him. Making an age limit is just an admission of all the owners that their gm's arent competent enough to differentiate between the Lebrons and the Ebis of the world.

Yeah, and for every Lebron, how many kids dont make it? You cite the exception to the rule. They say herschel Walker could have played in the NFL right out of HS, but how wise would that have been? I dont see where the problem is in telling kids to mature 2 more years, both mentally and physically. Especially if it can prolong their careers.

 

[Ferretsquig]

Yeah, and for every Lebron, how many kids dont make it? You cite the exception to the rule. They say herschel Walker could have played in the NFL right out of HS, but how wise would that have been? I dont see where the problem is in telling kids to mature 2 more years, both mentally and physically. Especially if it can prolong their careers.

Whos fault is it that these kids are playing in the NBA? Someone had to draft them. Its simple theft if you force a Lebron, Amare, Tracy or Kobe to go to school for 2 years. You are stealing 30 million from them.

This new rule may work because it will allow high school kids to be drafted at 18 then dumped in a developemental league for 2 years. But somehow I doubt the next Lebron will want to play against lower level competition for 2 years while they "develope."

 

[MoFinz]

The next lebron wont need to be developed now will he?

As a note, this developmental deal sounds like a decent one at first. I'd like to know more about it. The only way to develop that much untapped talent is a minor league system. Thats why a HS kid can go into baseball right out of HS. They matriculate thru the minors first and get acclimated mentally and physically to the rigors

 

[MikeO]

The next lebron wont need to be developed now will he?

As a note, this developmental deal sounds like a decent one at first. I'd like to know more about it. The only way to develop that much untapped talent is a minor league system. Thats why a HS kid can go into baseball right out of HS. They matriculate thru the minors first and get acclimated mentally and physically to the rigors

Not everyone needs the minors though.

Not to mention you can't prevent people from making a living in their profession. It's un-American and against the law.

 

[MoFinz]

Not everyone needs the minors though.

Not to mention you can't prevent people from making a living in their profession. It's un-American and against the law.

true. But then when you blow out your knee and youre not even qualified to work at MCDonalds, who do you suppose the bad guy will be?

Theres nothing wrong with setting standards and making people work within them. Like Lebron, there will always be exceptions to the rule. But who gets hurt when you err to the side of caution?

 

[Ferretsquig]

Theres nothing wrong with setting standards and making people work within them. Like Lebron, there will always be exceptions to the rule. But who gets hurt when you err to the side of caution?

Every high school player who wants to go pro gets hurt. You take two years of his playing career away. If he blows out his knee he would much rather do it while under a guarenteed contract than while in college.

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

ESPN just had Mark Cuban and Rex Chapman on. They agree with the age limit. If no age limit, then the NBA should have a minor league. For every James/Garnet that make it, there are 10 kids that listen to agents that don't!

 

[MoFinz]

Every high school player who wants to go pro gets hurt. You take two years of his playing career away. If he blows out his knee he would much rather do it while under a guarenteed contract than while in college.

Youre arguing that we should throw out the baby with the bath water. It takes these kids time to develop. Hell, even Kobe took 3 years before he started reaching his potential. We cant have a rule without exceptions. By the same token, we cant make the rules according to the exceptions.