Rafael Barlowe from NBA Draft Junkies and LakerTom from lakerholics.com join the show with Gerald to talk about the shooting of Jacob Blake and how the NBA and the rest of the sports world responded. Plus will we see NBA games again?
Lakers Fast Break- NBA Playoffs Day 10 Postponed with Rafael Barlowe and LakerTom!
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August 26, 2020 5 Comments
Some great conversations between Gerald, Raphael, and me about a situation bigger than any NBA playoffs. I think this is a golden opportunity for the players to use their power. Only problem is a Republican gerrymandered Wisconsin legislature and racist Kenosha police department. Playoffs may be dead.
Raphael is a prophet as he said this will all come down to what LeBron decides to do. If he goes home, playoffs are dead. If he wants to play, playoffs will go on. Right now, it’s 50/50 at best. Let’s hope and pray the boycott works and justice will served and we will still see the Lakers win a championship. Otherwise, God help us and save our country.
Well said, Jamie. I pretty much agree and support whatever the players decide. Cancelling the playoffs has such dire consequences for the league going forward that the players need to be careful. As noble as it may seem, it accomplishes nothing.
The players lose all their leverage if they cancel the playoffs or leave the bubble. Smarter to stand pat and patiently force Wisconsin and Kenosha to do the right things. Then play the games. That’s the win-win solution the players and American desperately needs.
Tom, I completely agree with you. Your comments seem fair both to the players and fans. While the players can decide whatever they choose to do in their lives, it is the fans who made these players who they are today. Making hasty decisions and cancelling the playoffs without careful thought could result in irreversible effects, and, like you said, will accomplish nothing.
Sports and entertainment has been around since life began. They both have fan bases and whatever problems we are facing in our lives, we all look to something to entertain us. When we suffer through repeated stoppages and interruptions, as fans, we will look for something else to enjoy in our lives no matter what is happening around us. When we feel weary we look to rest and when we are dealing with sorrow we look for a way to rejoice. I was not born a basketball fan and I had things I used to do back then to enjoy myself when things got difficult. I only became a true basketball junkie when I became a Laker fan. My point is if there are going to be repeated interuptions in the games, the fans will look to do something else in their lives and it’s posible they are not coming back. While that is true, we will still be dealing with these injustices.
This problem of injustice has been going on for eternity and I don’t see it going away overnight, and certainly not by cancelling the playoffs. The league would be wise to take a long look at the dire consequences like you said and not let this lead to its downfall. Rome was not built in a day and it took generations of players to help build the league’s image to this point. Continuing to put pressure on those accountable without cancelling the playoffs while protecting the league’s image would be a wiser move.
Thanks, Buba. And thanks for your well thought out and intelligent comments. I sometimes wonder if anybody is out there reading when I go to trouble to write and always appreciate your turning my monologue into a conversation. Thank you.
Thanks, Tom. You are always doing a heck of a job on this blog. I sometimes wonder how you even find time to sleep. Great job as always.