Race and Angels
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 12:39 PM PST
Email
PrintIn light of the recent OC Weekly article that sparked an interesting, at points offensive, but for the most part diagnostic dialogue about the Angels and race, I decided to do some of my own research on the Angels and see what Arte has done during his tenure as an owner, as a Latino and as a businessman.
I have been interested in race and the Southland since before I was interested in baseball. This interest sparked my continuous monitoring of "The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports" which publishes an annual report for each of the four major sports as well as MLS, WNBA and a few others. These reports rate the various sports based on the opportunities provided for, and positions held by, non-white and female employees. I have always found these incredibly interesting and turned to the most recent report in order to begin a discussion of race and Angels.
The first part of the report that stands out is in its general discussion of the MLB: "Arturo Moreno, who owns the Los Angeles Angels, remains the only person of color to own a Major League Baseball team. " That statement alone is indicative of the tremendous leaps and bounds made by Moreno in an effort to diversify baseball in general and specifically the Angels. He has opted to insert himself in an entirely white group and has kept the doors open for other people of color to own baseball franchises if they so desire. In addition to the lack of persons of color in ownership there is a not a single person of color CEO/President in the league. This only heightens the strides made by Arte in a very white setting.
The Angels don't have a non-white GM (anymore...). However they do have one of the only 11 Latino VPs in the league, Robert Alvarado our vice president of Marketing and Ticket Sales (no other organization has more than 1). So, in addition to being the only Latino owner, Arte has hired as many Latino VPs as any other franchise in the MLB.
Moving away from the report, I would like to look at what He has done for the Angels on the field. He came in with a dedication to spending money to build the Angels into a west coast powerhouse. The first big signing was Vladdy Guerrero. Wikipedia (thank God it has returned) writes this "The owner of the Angels, Arte Moreno, is the first Latino controlling owner of a Major League ballclub, and Guerrero has cited Moreno's Latin heritage as a motivating factor for choosing the Angels over other teams." In addition to Vladdy, Moreno shelled out the cash for Kelvim Escobar, Bartolo Colon, and Jose Guillen. Then in December he pulls the biggest trigger ever and brings in the greatest hitter of a generation, who is also Latino.
Moreno was adapting the aging Angels to a newer, more diverse body of Major League players. As Kennedy, Erstad, Eckstein, Salmon and Glaus were aging and leaving the Angels, he was looking at Latino players to replace them. Not to say that he picked only Latino players or that he picked players because they were Latino, but rather that Arte was willing to look everywhere for talent and was willing to keep the Angels on the cutting edge of where talent might be coming from. How different this current infield is from the WS team from 02 is an indication of that. Pujols/Kendrys, Kendricks, Aybar and Callaspo (3 positions filled by Latino players) have replaced Spezio, Kennedy, Eckstein and Glaus. It's true, the shepherd in the dugout is a white, Italian, lasagna eating, crazed mastermind, but remember, he is also bilingual and that plays a significant part in his role managing a very diverse roster.
So has Arte done little to open the doors for Latino fans? That question is impossible for me as a white kid to answer. What I can say is that he has opened doors for Latino fans to watch Spanish broadcasts of Latino athletes playing under a bilingual manager, all of whom are employed under the only Latino owner in the league. And finally, if Latino fans would like to go to games at the Big A or buy Angels merchandise, it falls under the domain of one of only 11 Latino VPs in the Major Leagues.
This is not to say that the league doesn't still have tremendous disparity in its racial relations (it's a little jarring to look at the percentage of non-white players versus the percentage of non-white owners/execs/VPs), but I would say that the Angels are pushing the line and opening up more needed opportunities than most teams.
This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.
119 comments
|
4 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Nice rebuttal to the OC Weekly article
I was fearful this was going to be something else when I clicked on it. Glad to see I was mistaken and that you backed your argument up with legitimate facts from a reliable source.
Thanks for writing this.
Scioscialist Party of America - Redistributing your defense since 2000.
well, I was gonna write it about the 5K
but I think this race is more interesting
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 2:06 PM PST up reply actions
Rec'd
Err would be rec’d if phones could rec
"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon
by BruinHalo on Jan 20, 2012 1:58 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Never mind the fact the Angels had the most African Americans on their team when and after Arte bought them
Willits? Check. Reagins? Check. Mathis? Check
Yeah there is a bunch more I would have like to write about-
Social demography of the area, public transportation to the stadium, ticket prices, representations of other races etc.
I tried to make it short enough to maintain the interest of the audience.
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 2:34 PM PST up reply actions
That was more directed at the article you were addressing.
Willits? Check. Reagins? Check. Mathis? Check
o gotcha,
Yeah that article was full of fail and it took a very real issue that I am very interested in, race and sports, and decided to turn the worst possible person into a bad guy….
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 2:40 PM PST up reply actions
what i have always wondered
Is how does Arte view that Hunter and his idiotic comments about “Latino” players in MLB.
"That's like asking whether I'd rather you kick me in the gonads or pee on my face" - Jobu
by hateball on Jan 20, 2012 2:57 PM PST via mobile reply actions
are we shocked that "the man" runs his mouth???
When I'm not at the stadium, I'd rather be watching my Halos back in Costa Rica!
by Dono Romantico on Jan 20, 2012 4:02 PM PST up reply actions
those comments were severly misinterpreted
Torii was expressing his concern about the dwindling numbers of African American players in the league and suggesting that many people mistook Latino players for being African American. Unfortunately he said it very poorly, I forgot his direct wording, but it was pretty obvious that there was a failure in communication
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 4:06 PM PST up reply actions
failure in communication
is torii’s specialty
"id take 5th Dimention Wormhole Rivera over Wells any day of the week"
-clover_black
by the king of CERA on Jan 20, 2012 4:47 PM PST up reply actions
That and almost stealing 3rd base.
After this off-season, I have no recollection of this Del Ninja character we used to discuss.
Torii's sense of humor does not translate well to print
A lot of what he says depends on tone and context. I’m surprised there haven’t been more instances of this.
Word.
"You say this game go 9 innings...you lie!"
by Mayheminthehood on Jan 20, 2012 4:52 PM PST up reply actions
THANK YOU
FINALLY a well-written article about how this team needs more white people.
What do you need a fancy suit for, Charlie, you ain't got no job to wear it to.
by clover_black on Jan 20, 2012 3:03 PM PST reply actions 3 recs
Shea Hillenbrand, line one
Steve Finley, line two
This is a sig.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 20, 2012 3:30 PM PST up reply actions
I'm going to be on the line with Kazmir for quite awhile
Can you route them to voice mail? Thanks so much.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" ~Groucho Marx
by George Kaplan on Jan 20, 2012 3:42 PM PST up reply actions
Sure thing
your voicemail is almost full though, can I have Mr. Speier’s agent shoot you an email?
This is a sig.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 20, 2012 3:47 PM PST up reply actions
Czechmate!
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" ~Groucho Marx
by George Kaplan on Jan 21, 2012 11:01 AM PST up reply actions
Mike Trout?
I think the point was kinda missed…..
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 3:39 PM PST up reply actions
Well I think we have to
Death has a better tan.
Tim Salmon: The once and future Kingfish.
by Teixeira Who? on Jan 20, 2012 10:13 PM PST up reply actions
There are white people
and then there’s Russell Branyan.
Even the name precludes any notion that his grandparents ever even DATED a minority.
This is a sig.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 21, 2012 11:12 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
He's available?
"And that’s why to hell with the traffic, Diane, we’re staying until the end of the game, and that’s final." ~brokenyard, 8/18/11
What do you think it would take to get him?
After this off-season, I have no recollection of this Del Ninja character we used to discuss.
Rec'd
As far as Arte is concerned, I just want him to represent my favorite team and the area I live in with class. He does.
by JeffJoiner on Jan 20, 2012 3:07 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
I agree.
However I would also want an owner who is constantly pushing racial limitations both through his own role within the organization and the roles of his employees, and that is what I like about Arte
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 3:40 PM PST up reply actions
My favorite things about Arte:
1. Self made man. He worked his way up to the top.
2. Military veteran.
Arte is a role model in many ways, including those you mentioned. I look up to him.
by JeffJoiner on Jan 20, 2012 4:10 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
If the 25 players best fit to make our team in a World Series without-a-doubt, are white, then that’s my team.
If they’re all black, that’s my team.
If they’re all Latino, that’s my team.
If they’re all half-blind transsexual paraplegic Eskimos, that’s my team.
This is a sig.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 20, 2012 3:30 PM PST reply actions 4 recs
more than likely it will be a mix....
Homogeneity doesnt do well in MLB
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 3:38 PM PST up reply actions
Of course it will
it would be extraordinarily unlikely that any one of those races could ever be the perfect fit/mix all by itself.
But if it were to happen one of those ways, I wouldn’t care for a second.
This is a sig.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 20, 2012 3:41 PM PST up reply actions
But a team composed exclusively of half-blind transsexual paraplegic Eskimos?
That has the marketing execs at Fox Sports in NYC, sitting up and paying close attention.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" ~Groucho Marx
by George Kaplan on Jan 20, 2012 3:44 PM PST up reply actions
Billy Veeck on line one
Ready to make it happen
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 3:45 PM PST up reply actions
When it happens, just wait, you'll see...
If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?
And don't forget the TLC "reality" series based upon that team
TLC is the official home of the televised freak shows:
° Hoarding
° My Strange Addiction
° Toddlers and Tiaras
° Sister Wives
° Long Island Medium
° [fill in blank] show about couple with way too many kids
° Sarah Palin’s Alaska
° I Cloned My Pet
° Lone Star Baseball
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" ~Groucho Marx
by George Kaplan on Jan 21, 2012 7:42 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I worked for this piece of trash show:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Singing_Office
Also a proud program of the TLC network!
This is a sig.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 21, 2012 11:14 AM PST up reply actions
Remember when TLC was The Learning Channel?
They had shows about, like, science and engineering and shit. Now the whole Discovery Communications family has transformed into the Red State Network. Guns, trucks, trailer homes, and teen moms!
by Suboptimal on Jan 21, 2012 11:56 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
and history channel had programming about history?
I remember seeing my professors on programs on the history channel. That was cool. We got rid of cable for a few years and somehow in the last 5 years history has become pawn shops, ice road truckers and swamp people.
by Balls and Strikes on Jan 21, 2012 12:14 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
And MTV had musc....
I guess History decided that there was only so much WW2 footage available, but I do miss that old channel.
by firebird81 on Jan 22, 2012 2:02 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
dont forget about aliens and 2012
also hot topics on the history channel
"id take 5th Dimention Wormhole Rivera over Wells any day of the week"
-clover_black
by the king of CERA on Jan 23, 2012 10:46 AM PST up reply actions
How could you forgot "Dance Moms"???
For serious.
"And that’s why to hell with the traffic, Diane, we’re staying until the end of the game, and that’s final." ~brokenyard, 8/18/11
As long as they're not all eskimo brothers
That’d be weird…
Scioscialist Party of America - Redistributing your defense since 2000.
by Commander_Nate on Jan 20, 2012 3:52 PM PST up reply actions
It'd be pretty gay
notthatthere’sanythingwrongwiththat
This is a sig.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 20, 2012 3:52 PM PST up reply actions
Depends actually
did he mean “brothers” as in siblings, or “bruthas.”
This is a sig.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 20, 2012 4:07 PM PST up reply actions
Artie is practically marge schott.
Official prediction: The Angels will win the AL west this season.
That might explain the absence of Jewish players
Tim Salmon: The once and future Kingfish.
by Teixeira Who? on Jan 20, 2012 10:17 PM PST up reply actions
Who FUCKING cares about Race!!!
oh wait! racists do!
When I'm not at the stadium, I'd rather be watching my Halos back in Costa Rica!
Damn racists!
They suck
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
Follow the Chicken on Twitter
by SportsChicken on Jan 20, 2012 4:08 PM PST up reply actions
What are you, some kind of anti-racist-ite?
You’re probably an anti-dentite, too!
If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?
He's anti-dentist?
Those people work very hard and put in lots of time of schooling for their profession!
"Baseball is beautiful. It is the only sport in which you can fail 70% of the time and still be considered the greatest player"
by Halos2011champs on Jan 20, 2012 5:05 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I'm sick of the "Disparity between players and upper management" arguement in all sports.
It’s like saying there are far more people of color who are very good at working in a grocery store, yet so few of them end up owning or being the CEO of a major grocery chain.
As though Sammy “The Bleached Bambino” Sosa, Rickey “Third Person” Henderson or any average joe player of color would make a good GM or above. A large majority of baseball players are DROP OUTS. Most CEOs and even GMs have college degrees and there are a lot of MBAs etc. in that pile.
It’s just not a realistic comp, the players of color/management of color hustle.
I love this team, I love this blog, I will never doubt Arte again and I can't wait to see what happens this year. That is all.
by gitchogritchoffmypetis on Jan 20, 2012 4:12 PM PST reply actions
The argument isn't that players should be management
It’s that management is white, players are not.
"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon
thank you
I had been trying to figure out how to say that in 3 well worded yet highly confusing paragraphs…… simplicity for the win
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 4:29 PM PST up reply actions
That only begs the question
Why aren’t there more CEOs and MBAs coming from minority groups?
by Suboptimal on Jan 20, 2012 4:58 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
There are more women than men in universities
I wonder if we will see a gender shift.
by JeffJoiner on Jan 20, 2012 7:06 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
That's true on the whole
But men are over-represented in professional and scientific-technical training programs, i.e. the ones that usually lead to higher pay after graduation.
All I know is if the strait white males in this country don't figure out how to make people of other colors and genders love taxes, economics, and accounting....
Sexism. Racism.
I love this team, I love this blog, I will never doubt Arte again and I can't wait to see what happens this year. That is all.
by gitchogritchoffmypetis on Jan 21, 2012 1:29 PM PST up reply actions
yeah....
It sucks being a white straight male in America…. we have to do crazy things like marry who we want, be represented disproportionately in congress, senate, supreme court, president (43/44 aint bad odds), and fortune 500 CEOs….. Life sucks
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 21, 2012 3:26 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
*43.5/44
"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon
by BruinHalo on Jan 23, 2012 9:03 AM PST up reply actions 3 recs
Most white players would suck as a GM or CEO or owner too.
I love this team, I love this blog, I will never doubt Arte again and I can't wait to see what happens this year. That is all.
by gitchogritchoffmypetis on Jan 20, 2012 4:13 PM PST reply actions
JeDi is waving at you.....
Nolan Ryan would also like to say hi!
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 20, 2012 4:25 PM PST up reply actions
maybe Hi was a poor word choice
Nolan Ryan would like to stare unwavering into the deepest part of your being
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 21, 2012 5:31 AM PST up reply actions
Opps. You found 2. Though there are probably dozens.
Still outliers a good argument do not make. Most players don’t end up being good in the front office.
I love this team, I love this blog, I will never doubt Arte again and I can't wait to see what happens this year. That is all.
by gitchogritchoffmypetis on Jan 21, 2012 1:26 PM PST up reply actions
Tony Reagins - not a former player.
After this off-season, I have no recollection of this Del Ninja character we used to discuss.
Nolan the Hutt
Well, come see a fat old man some time!
by Moondoggy on Jan 24, 2012 2:59 AM PST up reply actions 3 recs
In regards to race, I think it's important we celebrate our differences.
This video beautifully illustrates that point. I cry every time I watch it.
"You say this game go 9 innings...you lie!"
by Mayheminthehood on Jan 20, 2012 4:47 PM PST reply actions
Bro
That is moving. How is this not in the Library of Congress?
Tim Salmon: The once and future Kingfish.
by Teixeira Who? on Jan 20, 2012 10:19 PM PST up reply actions
Race does not exist
People can interbreed, so everyone is the same. It’s what ethnic background people grow up with.
"After the first six minutes I was heavily winded"-Andrew Bynum
Seems like you have race and species confused.
Different races within the same species can interbreed.
by TheTypingFiend on Jan 20, 2012 9:21 PM PST up reply actions
race is an arbitrary term, it means nothing
if you lined up the people of the world based on physical characteristics you wouldn’t have definitive divisions into subcategories. color would be a smooth transition from the darkest skin of africa to the palest skin of some europeans. So skin color doesnt determine race.
By nose size then? By eye shape? How do you determine race?
by Balls and Strikes on Jan 21, 2012 12:27 PM PST up reply actions
Thats an intertesting question.
The thing is that race is determined not biologically as you pointed out. But it does exist socially and economically.
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 21, 2012 3:27 PM PST up reply actions
No I disagree its not something that you "are"
based on your definition, race could be changed. You could grow up in the compton of the 80’s and transform into a multimillion dollar businessman, change everything about who you choose to be but not change your perceived “race.” Race is a nothing term of a passed generation. Its a stupid notion that people are easily divided into subclasses of the species.
If you want to talk about nationality or ethnicity then fine, that is something that has some root in the social customs and practices as they vary across the globe. But trying to mold race into something progressive is like trying to put a jet engine on your favorite horse and buggy
by Balls and Strikes on Jan 22, 2012 11:09 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I personally think that racism doesn't come into play as long as the best team is put on the field.
Racism comes into play when a better player does not get to play because another player that is not as good gets the playing time because of say popularity due to the teams fanbase. I do think that some Angels players have been peoples favorites over the past few years because of their race. And wouldve liked that player to play everyday when clearly some of those players were avg or below avg. But thats why theres a manager and he takes care of those decisions. But i still dont know why Mathis got to play so many games, sorry …. still mad about that.
LA Angels 2012 Champions!
So we need to keep Reggie Willits far away from the dugout?
Willits? Check. Reagins? Check. Mathis? Check
Who are you talking about?
This is a sig.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 20, 2012 7:49 PM PST up reply actions
Sosh hates Conger because he's Asian?
"And that’s why to hell with the traffic, Diane, we’re staying until the end of the game, and that’s final." ~brokenyard, 8/18/11
So would you describe Scoscia as racist?
He preferred an white, non talented catcher over a promising asian catcher.
What I took from this article by Gustavo Arellano is that he may have had a chip on his shoulder
regarding the issue around illegal immigration, amnesty, and the policies put in place recently by the state of Arizona where Arte resides and holds spring training for his team. This quote from the article jumped out at me:
It’s a strange position for me to have, because a big part of me would love to see Moreno blasting away at Barbara Coe and marching along with his team in support of amnesty—but, hey: I get it. He’s a sports owner, not Nativo Lopez (and thank God for that).
Arellano clearly states in the article he spoke to Tim mead and others with his questions but was refused repeatedly for interview time with Arte. Finally he got one minute with Arte and one question. I think Arte was informed what this guy was up to and what the nature of the questions might be and Arte wanted no part of it.
It is well known Arte is a republican and donates to republican candidates. If Arte revealed what he truly feels about all these issues, there is that possibility he would get heavily criticized for his honest views. I think Arte is smart enough to know to keep politics out of business and baseball and refuse to give candid interviews about subjects that could become political avoiding the possibility of alienating some of his fanbase.
"One time, when we got back to the locker room, all of our clothes were gone," Trout recalled. "They left me a Lady Gaga costume and I had to wear it."
Pretty much this
Regardless of his personal politics, he has a public image as a MLB team owner to uphold and he is smart enough to not drag those two together when he doesn’t have to or when someone tries to bait him into doing so.
Or is Kendry perhaps the one who needs to sit?
As borders become lines on maps and nothing more, we are in for some serious variation
Yu Darvish for instance, Half Iranian, Half Japanese, he is an example of how the world is ahem coming together. Never seen this kind of hybrid, but it’s fun to see what happens next!
The silver lining of the press conference, he looked overwhelmed, lost, and young, I think he will need a translator on the mound too…. he pitches in AAA at some point this year….to get away for a bit… fearless prediction.
"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."
my wife is half Jew half Korean
and looks 100% Mexican…..
Discussion of race and baseball makes my eyes glaze over
Sure, the issue is important, and I’m not at all criticizing this post or the discussion.
It’s just that I look forward to a time when race is not an issue at all, and it seems that we’re farther away from that than we were when I was a lad.
Now is the winter of our deep content.
do you have a dream?
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on Jan 20, 2012 10:28 PM PST up reply actions
Lol boners
"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon
by BruinHalo on Jan 20, 2012 11:04 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I understand your resignation.
I too look forward to a time when race is not an issue, but I also worry that too many people believe that time has already happened.
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 21, 2012 5:30 AM PST up reply actions
The OC Weekly...
… and the entire Village Voice Media chain for that matter practice race-baiting as a sort of editorial gospel. It pisses people off, mobilizes Internet traffic and reinforces VVM’s rich, white, Arizona-based owner Michael Lacey’s image of himself as a gentleman radical. (He is, in fact, a money-grubbing egomaniac and swinging dick who enthusiastically chops writers and editors off at the knees to protect ad revenue.)
The author of the OC Weekly aritcle, Gustavo Aurliano, is an arrogant self-hating polemicist prick who’s been squatting in that job for over a decade and is best ignored.
by GrichManPoorMan on Jan 21, 2012 10:29 AM PST reply actions
"I too played shortstop for many years until I was struck down by Acne and Baby Fat" HST
by No Bologna Polonia on Jan 21, 2012 10:33 AM PST reply actions
God that was embarassing....
Thank god Arte is smarter than Donald
When I flip a coin I dont say heads or tails, I say Halos or Spurs
by ItCouldHappen on Jan 21, 2012 3:28 PM PST up reply actions
So, to recap:
Underprivileged kids apparently are considered a cinch to be Black.
Or, poor Latino and White kids should’t show up for free tickets.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" ~Groucho Marx
by George Kaplan on Jan 21, 2012 8:17 PM PST up reply actions
To be quite serious
I think it would be illegal if only black kids were allowed to get the free tickets and not people of other race.
Still, it seems like a logistical nightmare who you can consider ‘underprivileged’ or perhaps there is some easy way for the Clippers to distribute these tickets otherwise.
Or is Kendry perhaps the one who needs to sit?
There is no maybe about it
It would clearly be illegal to limit the admission of free tickets to only Black kids.
My point was that the Clippers managed to link a specific event/idea (Black History Month) with a “celebration” involving free admission to underprivileged kids. It would be as if the immediate image one would have of Blacks was poverty.
Like everything else the Clippers manage to do, it is ham-fisted, inelegant and 20 years behind the times.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" ~Groucho Marx
by George Kaplan on Jan 22, 2012 6:28 AM PST up reply actions
The biggest question mark
Why, why, why the hell is Don Sterling even in the ad? If there were any underprivileged black children reading the newspaper that day, they would probably have only recognized him as their rich-ass white slumlord.
Gunning for Arte Moreno’s racial outreach efforts seems counter-productive while Sterling is still in town. I’d like to be a Clippers fan, but I will have nothing to do with them while he remains the owner.
It has been years since I have seen a physical copy of the LA Times
…but if you look at the Sports and Business section back pages, there are frequent ads—quarter-page to full page in size—trumpeting some phony-baloney award being bestowed on Donald Sterling from B’nai B’rith, or UNCF, or Sons of Norway, or any other organization you can think of, and Donald Sterling’s mug is always front and center, because…
Donald Sterling pays for the ads.
He wants so badly to be the West Coast equivalent of Donald Trump, but succeeds only in the area of tremendous insecurity and massive ego.
One wonders what sort of powerhouse franchise the Clippers could become if they had a real owner.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" ~Groucho Marx
by George Kaplan on Jan 22, 2012 6:34 AM PST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Halos Heaven
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- College player makes impossible over the fence catch to save tournament game (Video)
- Security!: Camden Yards guard collides with Royals’ Mike Moustakas
- The Juice: Nelson Cruz matches career high eight RBIs, Pujols stays hot in Seattle
- Benches clear at Fenway as Red Sox-Rays rivalry heats up
- Keeping good company: Albert Pujols becomes fourth-youngest player to hit 450 home runs
