Idiots on Parade
Don Imus has stuck his foot in it again.
From the AP report -
Imus' claim was that people misunderstood the "sarcastic" point he was trying to make. His explanation -During a conversation Monday about the arrests of Jones, Imus asked, "What color is he?"
Told by a sports announcer that Jones is "African-American," Imus responded: "There you go. Now we know."
Imus said Tuesday: "What people should be outraged about is that they arrest blacks for no reason. I mean, there's no reason to arrest this kid six times."Let me just say, having heard tape of the exchange, I would just like to note - Imus is full of shit.
It should be interesting to see how CBS Radio and show sponsors react. Sure, there's no disciplinary action now, but if sponsors threaten to pull, this could signal the end of Imus' radio career - at least on a nationally syndicated level.
Idiot Two -
Shaquille O'Neal is entitled to his opinion, but, considering he's never even made the finals without some serious talent at his side - and didn't even come close to putting Phoenix over the top - can he just shut up about how Kobe can't win without him?
Does he really think he could have been the difference against the Celtics? He made such a difference for the Suns who were bounced in five games in the first round of this year's playoffs. He averaged 30 minutes per game - fewest minutes of any of the team's five starters, was third in scoring, sixth on the team in field goal percentage (how does a guy that's just a big body in the paint underneath the basket miss 56 percent of his shots?), and tied for last on the team in the percentage of free throws made.
He may think he's the hard man in the middle that the Lakers missed, but let's face it - O'Neal is soft. Sure, he's a big body that pulls rebounds and has averaged well over 20 points per game for his career - mostly because he's bigger than everybody else, not because he's so much better. He's a big doughy body that can't stay on the court because he would rather freestyle at clubs than get himself into shape.
Need proof - Only once in the last seven seasons has he not missed at least 14 games due to injury, or just shut it down (like last season while still with the Heat) because his team was losing. Over his sixteen year career he has started more than 70 games only six times, but has missed at least 20 games seven times.
The man's a front-runner, and largely cooked and really, really needs to stop running his mouth.
Stumble It!
11 comments:
Shaq is such a herb. First off isn't this Shaq v. Kobe thing getting a little old? I mean seriously doesn't Shaq Diesel have anything better to "freestyle" about. Second, why does Shaq want Kobe to tell him how his a** tastes? Thats just disgusting. Third of all who the hell gave Shaq the mic and allowed him to freestyle rap in the first place? Shaq's rapping career consists of such albums as Shaq-Fu:Da Return, Shaq Diesel, and You Can't Stop the Reign. What sinister fellow would want to subject the listening public to such a Whack MC? I think Shaq realizes that the only way people are going to listen to this garbage is if he mentions Kobe Bryant. In this respect I have to give Shaq credit. Think of how many people have already viewed Shaq's freestyle on youtube and blog's like this one. Had he not mentioned Kobe no one would even be talking about this video. Could a Shaq Diesel Vol. II be on the Horizon?
Have to admit - much of what you say is spot on...however, I caught the whole thing on ESPN.
God only knows, however, any recording company that will give him another shot at an album deserves what they get.
I defended Imus after the Rutgers comments but I have to admit the first time I saw the video of this incident my jaw hit the floor. I couldn't believe what I heard. But honestly after hearing his explanation I tend to give him the benefit of the doubt only because nobody who was in his position would say something that stupid and mean it in the way we all took it....right?
Imus actually has a history of racially and ethnically charged statements. From the "nappy-headed ho's" comment to "beanie-wearing jew-boys" (both straight from his mouth), Imus has betrayed a personality and ideological philosophy that's Archie Bunker without the like-ability or the intelligence or moral telling of Norman Lear's writing.
Imus is far past the point where he should be getting the benefit of the doubt from anyone.
To be hardcore about it - here's a litany of a few of the things that he and his cronies have said...
Imus himself has referred to African-American journalist Gwen Ifill as "a cleaning lady," to New York Times sports reporter Bill Rhoden as "quota hire" and to tennis player Amelie Mauresmo as "a big old lesbo." Imus called Washington Post reporter Howard Kurtz a "boner-nosed... beanie-wearing Jewboy," and to an Indian men's tennis duo as "Gunga Din and Sambo." In Imus' words, the New York Knicks are "chest-thumping pimps."
Imus' on again/off again sidekick Sid Rosenberg was temporarily fired in 2001 for calling tennis player Venus Williams an "animal" and remarking that the Williams sisters—Venus and her tennis player sister Serena—would more likely be featured in National Geographic than in Playboy. Rosenberg insisted to New York's Daily News (6/7/01) that his comments weren't racist, "just zoological." In 2004, MSNBC had to apologize when the rehired Rosenberg referred to Palestinians as "stinking animals."
You tell me - does he still deserve the benefit of the doubt?
I admit that it is hard to do so. I just find it hard to believe that Imus, with his recent history of trouble, meant what we all thought he meant. If his explanation is honest then he couldn't have chosen worse words to make the point he says he was making...and the words he actually spoke came out so bad I cannot understand why someone didn't tell him to explain himself as soon as he said it. Perhaps it was because they all thought he meant his words the way we took them.
If you look at the entire text of his explanation, he obviously knows next to nothing about the Pacman Jones situation - which makes his explanation less plausible and seem more disingenuous.
I think he kept his statement as brief as he did in order to give himself a little plausible deniability. The problems is, with his history, there's no plausible deniability to be had, and any explanation he tries to feed the public rings hollow.
Context is important with these things. When these things are said in an attempt to generate laughter I dismiss any racist intent. But honestly the context in which he made these comments hurts his case. He had just finished being critical of Jones being in a nightclub. It didn't seem like the time when he would do a 180 and then say something supportive which is his explanation. I can only say I can't believe he would be so stupid as to say something as bold as what he said and actually mean it in the context that it was taken.
In my opinion he wouldn't be so brazen as to intentionally say something like that with an eye to daring the public. He's not that calculating. I think you are giving him too much credit by saying that.
Here's another opinion...
http://www.theroot.com/id/47023?GT1=38002
"He's not that calculating. I think you are giving him too much credit by saying that."
Of course he is. He knows exactly what he's doing, like every attention whore does. Everything he does is done with an eye as to how it will play with the greater audience, especially now. That's what he's all about.
We'll just have to disagree on this. I cut Don Imus absolutely no slack on anything he says, and I'm not a bandwagoner in that respect. I stopped listening to him years ago simply because he could be so jaw-droppingly, deliberately offensive.
For myself, even when I lived in NY and he wasn't yet nationwide, I didn't think he was worth the time to listen to.
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