Grant Hill’s Response to Jalen Rose


This is becoming a very interesting and open dialogue seen through the lenses of the various American media sources about the African American/Black Culture with regards to terminology.
 



I wonder if Grant Hill considered giving back about 99.9% of the money he got from the Orlando Magic during his DISASTROUS stint there. I’m pretty sure his parent taught him to work for his money and take no hand outs. He barely could stay on the court.
 
FAMU Cliff,

Excellent Points! Now that I think about it, I do not know why as a freshman in college, I had a rooting interest for UNLV over Duke in 1990. Especially, with the school mascot name: Runn'in Rebels. I imagine in 1991, I was pulling for UNLV because I wanted to see history, (i.e. the first undefeated in team in college basketball since the Indiana team). But, now after all I have studied, your explanation makes sense why that may have been the case for me.

Interesting!

It makes me think I may need to read to some more on psychology, especially in terms of sport marketing.
 
JSU/99 said:
This is nonsense. Jalen Rose clearly stated this is what was going on in his teenage mind. At what point do the "aggrieved" parties take it at that and leave it alone? I mean really...
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Calling someone an uncle tom because he was Blessed to have good parents who raised him in a positive environment and was able to go to a certian school is ignorant no matter the age, it is just like kids calling other kids "Acting White", because they choose to use proper grammer, correct english and believe in studying or choose not to wear ghetto baggy clothes. This type of mentality needs to be eliminated period.
 
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Jafus (Thinker) said:
FAMU Cliff,

Excellent Points! Now that I think about it, I do not know why as a freshman in college, I had a rooting interest for UNLV over Duke in 1990. Especially, with the school mascot name: Runn'in Rebels. I imagine in 1991, I was pulling for UNLV because I wanted to see history, (i.e. the first undefeated in team in college basketball since the Indiana team). But, now after all I have studied, your explanation makes sense why that may have been the case for me.

Interesting!

It makes me think I may need to read to some more on psychology, especially in terms of sport marketing.
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This is the same way Ali was positioned as the peoples champ and Frazier an uncle tom. Although Ali played that up (to sell tickets, but he admitted he took it too far) the media ran with it to sell the product. Bryant Gumbel admits in the HBO special he was caught up in it. The reality was, Ali came from the working -middle class two parent family and Frazier grew up hard core on the streets of Philly.
 
Mr. Grant Hill also did not name the first African Americans/Blacks to integrate the ACC and more importantly the first to African American/Black to integrate Duke as a true freshman, now Dr. C. B. Claiborne in 1965 (Billy Jones and Pete Johnson that entered into Maryland the fall of 1964 and played on the freshman team, moved to the varsity team the following year). Currently, a marketing professor at Texas Southern University. As documented in the book, Across the Line: Profiles in Basketball Courage--Tales of the First Black Players in the ACC and Southeastern Conferences.
 
FAMU CLIFF said:
This is the same way Ali was positioned as the peoples champ and Frazier an uncle tom. Although Ali played that up (to sell tickets, but he admitted he took it too far) the media ran with it to sell the product. Bryant Gumbel admits in the HBO special he was caught up in it. The reality was, Ali came from the working -middle class two parent family and Frazier grew up hard core on the streets of Philly.
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Ali is one of the BIGGEST DISGRACE in African American history yet we celebrate him like he was really a damn hero. Joe Frazier was the real black man. While Ali was running his big mouth in front of every camera he could find, Joe was hard at work on his family’s farm and training. Man don't get me started on Ali punk azz. To this day, Frazier still can stand that high yellow mofo. That is a whole different thread.
 
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G Lion,

Calling someone an uncle tom because he was Blessed to have good parents who raised him in a positive environment and was able to go to a certian school is ignorant no matter the age, it is just like kids calling other kids "Acting White", because they choose to use proper grammer, correct english and believe in studying or choose not to wear ghetto baggy clothes. This type of mentality needs to be eliminated period.
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I believe we all as legal adults understand that calling someone outside of their name is wrong. But, I would suppose that is why we need people teaching young individuals that this is the case. It is difficult for me to imagine that we truly believe that children and young adults all have the same high level of intellectual thought, especially understanding that many come from different backgrounds and cultural development. The differences of that intellectual thought are often based on socio-economic status, parental status, and etc. I would hope the most important lesson coming from this dialogue is the fact, that we all need to continue engaging in conversations about what we do not understand, such that we all gain greater understanding.
 
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At 18 years old a young person is full of contradictions. And Jalen was no exception. He stated that Duke's black players were Uncle Tom's because they were affluent and from two parent households and that they would never recruit someone like them. Oh, and that he hated them. But in the same breath he said that he loved his Fab 5 brothers. Well, one of those brother's,not particularily affluent but from a 2 parent household and had the academic acumen, was recruited by Duke ,and actually took a visit to Duke while being recruited, could have very easily wound up on that same Duke team that he hated so much. His name, C. Webb!!
 
Styles said:
I wonder if Grant Hill considered giving back about 99.9% of the money he got from the Orlando Magic during his DISASTROUS stint there. I’m pretty sure his parent taught him to work for his money and take no hand outs. He barely could stay on the court.
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I don't think that is fair to say. Grant Hill had to undergo several foot, ankle and sports hernia surgeries that limited his stint in Orlando. In fact, Hill nearly died as a result of an infection he contracted after undergoing one of those surgeries. It was not because he didn't want to work hard or be on the floor. His body betrayed him.
 
PsychoJag said:
Kudos to Grant Hill. So many young black 18 year olds feel the way Jalen did. As if it's a negative to come from a good family background being black. It needs to stop.
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That was Jalen's point. He was 18 years old when he made the comment. He also admitted that Christian Laettner was as good as advertised. Grant's letter is actually addressing the overall ignorance that still exist in our race regarding the non-imprtance of education. Believe it or not, parents who don't believe in a quality education passed that down to their children.
 
SAME OLD G said:
This is a BS response by Grant. There was no need for him to comment. J. Rose made it very clear that his "Uncle Tom" comment was how he felt at that time (back when he was 19). He clearly doesn't think that now. Grant knows this, and those of you on here giving Grant a pat on the back know this as well.

Damn shame :shame:
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How many of these same cats haven't felt the same way, even at their current age> I never felt that way about Duke(although I've never been a fan), but I have heard grown men say the same thing about Duke and the Black athletes that play for them. If most are honest, they will admit that they have at least heard some say similar things whether they agree with it or not. It was/is a perception that's out there.
 
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if any of u are on twitter, go to Jalen's page and look at the link he posted in reference to Elton Brand and "The Love" they showed him when he left early.
 
MikeBigg said:
How many of these same cats haven't felt the same way, even at their current age> I never felt that way about Duke(although I've never been a fan), but I have heard grown men say the same thing about Duke and the Black athletes that play for them. If most are honest, they will admit that they have at least heard some say similar things whether they agree with it or not. It was/is a perception that's out there.
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And that's the bottom line. And that is why I dont care for Duke today.
 
I think a lot of people who criticize Jalen, and his Fab 4 brothers (the ones who participated in the documentary) don't fully understand their point of view, because they didn't walk in theirs shoes as recruits, or didn't have the upbringing those kids had, to understand where they were coming from. How could they not feel that way, when they're amongst the most talented kids in the country, and not have Duke recruit them, with the exception of C. Webb. If you were growing up in the inner-city, and you didn't have educated parents, and you didn't swing in those kinds of circles, you don't know any better, especially if you sitting around chopping it up with your boys, and your family with everybody saying the same thing, that black kids at Duke ain't nothing but some Uncle Toms.

More than likely if you're a kid of the 60's, and 70's, you grew up in households with a certain viewpoint about whites, and their schools, and it wasn't a good viewpoint. As many of you have mentioned, Jalen made the comment speaking from his teenage point of view, and he can't be faulted for it now that he's matured, and knows better. It would be real interesting to see the Duke's players point of view if they're honest, to see how many of the blacks that went there, if they looked down on poor & hood blacks, as a lot of affluent blacks do.

The funny thing is Georgetown (a private school just as prestigious as Duke) wouldn't have had the following they had from blacks in the 80's if John Thompson hadn't convinced the administration at G'Town that he could take black kids from at-risk neighborhoods, and bring them into GT, and not only get them to win games, but blend in with the student body, and turn them into productive citizens.

I don't fault Duke for the way they consider taking student athletes it's their choice, and it works for them, but you can't fault black KIDS for the way they feel about them either, especially seeing there's a very large faction of blacks who feel the same way, and they're not even close to being recruited.

NICE
 
D-NICE said:
I think a lot of people who criticize Jalen, and his Fab 4 brothers (the ones who participated in the documentary) don't fully understand their point of view, because they didn't walk in theirs shoes as recruits, or didn't have the upbringing those kids had, to understand where they were coming from. How could they not feel that way, when they're amongst the most talented kids in the country, and not have Duke recruit them, with the exception of C. Webb. If you were growing up in the inner-city, and you didn't have educated parents, and you didn't swing in those kinds of circles, you don't know any better, especially if you sitting around chopping it up with your boys, and your family with everybody saying the same thing, that black kids at Duke ain't nothing but some Uncle Toms.

More than likely if you're a kid of the 60's, and 70's, you grew up in households with a certain viewpoint about whites, and their schools, and it wasn't a good viewpoint. As many of you have mentioned, Jalen made the comment speaking from his teenage point of view, and he can't be faulted for it now that he's matured, and knows better. It would be real interesting to see the Duke's players point of view if they're honest, to see how many of the blacks that went there, if they looked down on poor & hood blacks, as a lot of affluent blacks do.

The funny thing is Georgetown (a private school just as prestigious as Duke) wouldn't have had the following they had from blacks in the 80's if John Thompson hadn't convinced the administration at G'Town that he could take black kids from at-risk neighborhoods, and bring them into GT, and not only get them to win games, but blend in with the student body, and turn them into productive citizens.

I don't fault Duke for the way they consider taking student athletes it's their choice, and it works for them, but you can't fault black KIDS for the way they feel about them either, especially seeing there's a very large faction of blacks who feel the same way, and they're not even close to being recruited.

NICE
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Great Post. That is exactly how folks view it. Hell Duke aint going to recruit poor white kids from trailer parks either. Somebody like White Chocolate Williams who played HS ball with Randy Moss and is in the NBA now. It is an elite attitude that they have. Certain kind of kids they go after. I think after Elton Brand and Will Avery left their Soph year along with Corey Maggette who was a Freshman. Coach K was like fugg that recruiting those kind of kids with NBA ego dreams. Had they stayed, that team was about to get even better. Shane Battier was already there and I think Jay Williams (who parents are Ohio State alums) was coming the next season. Duke would have been really loaded.
 
D-NICE said:
I think a lot of people who criticize Jalen, and his Fab 4 brothers (the ones who participated in the documentary) don't fully understand their point of view, because they didn't walk in theirs shoes as recruits, or didn't have the upbringing those kids had, to understand where they were coming from. How could they not feel that way, when they're amongst the most talented kids in the country, and not have Duke recruit them, with the exception of C. Webb. If you were growing up in the inner-city, and you didn't have educated parents, and you didn't swing in those kinds of circles, you don't know any better, especially if you sitting around chopping it up with your boys, and your family with everybody saying the same thing, that black kids at Duke ain't nothing but some Uncle Toms.

More than likely if you're a kid of the 60's, and 70's, you grew up in households with a certain viewpoint about whites, and their schools, and it wasn't a good viewpoint. As many of you have mentioned, Jalen made the comment speaking from his teenage point of view, and he can't be faulted for it now that he's matured, and knows better. It would be real interesting to see the Duke's players point of view if they're honest, to see how many of the blacks that went there, if they looked down on poor & hood blacks, as a lot of affluent blacks do.

The funny thing is Georgetown (a private school just as prestigious as Duke) wouldn't have had the following they had from blacks in the 80's if John Thompson hadn't convinced the administration at G'Town that he could take black kids from at-risk neighborhoods, and bring them into GT, and not only get them to win games, but blend in with the student body, and turn them into productive citizens.

I don't fault Duke for the way they consider taking student athletes it's their choice, and it works for them, but you can't fault black KIDS for the way they feel about them either, especially seeing there's a very large faction of blacks who feel the same way, and they're not even close to being recruited.

NICE
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Dayum D! Couldnt have said it any better.
 
I went through this in my latter years of high school. (Redemptorist BR) Too white for the brothers around the way and too black for the kids I went to school with. That situation made us (black kids) a very tight nit group while we were in school. The irony that goes with this is that our basketball uniforms were the exact replica of Duke's. LOL I still remember them rowdy road games and the stuff people used to yell at us. And that was the parents!!!
 
D-NICE said:
I think a lot of people who criticize Jalen, and his Fab 4 brothers (the ones who participated in the documentary) don't fully understand their point of view, because they didn't walk in theirs shoes as recruits, or didn't have the upbringing those kids had, to understand where they were coming from. How could they not feel that way, when they're amongst the most talented kids in the country, and not have Duke recruit them, with the exception of C. Webb. If you were growing up in the inner-city, and you didn't have educated parents, and you didn't swing in those kinds of circles, you don't know any better, especially if you sitting around chopping it up with your boys, and your family with everybody saying the same thing, that black kids at Duke ain't nothing but some Uncle Toms.

More than likely if you're a kid of the 60's, and 70's, you grew up in households with a certain viewpoint about whites, and their schools, and it wasn't a good viewpoint. As many of you have mentioned, Jalen made the comment speaking from his teenage point of view, and he can't be faulted for it now that he's matured, and knows better. It would be real interesting to see the Duke's players point of view if they're honest, to see how many of the blacks that went there, if they looked down on poor & hood blacks, as a lot of affluent blacks do.

The funny thing is Georgetown (a private school just as prestigious as Duke) wouldn't have had the following they had from blacks in the 80's if John Thompson hadn't convinced the administration at G'Town that he could take black kids from at-risk neighborhoods, and bring them into GT, and not only get them to win games, but blend in with the student body, and turn them into productive citizens.

I don't fault Duke for the way they consider taking student athletes it's their choice, and it works for them, but you can't fault black KIDS for the way they feel about them either, especially seeing there's a very large faction of blacks who feel the same way, and they're not even close to being recruited.

NICE
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PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST POSTS I HAVE READ ON THIS BOARD
 
JR said:
Great Post. That is exactly how folks view it. Hell Duke aint going to recruit poor white kids from trailer parks either. Somebody like White Chocolate Williams who played HS ball with Randy Moss and is in the NBA now. It is an elite attitude that they have. Certain kind of kids they go after. I think after Elton Brand and Will Avery left their Soph year along with Corey Maggette who was a Freshman. Coach K was like fugg that recruiting those kind of kids with NBA ego dreams. Had they stayed, that team was about to get even better. Shane Battier was already there and I think Jay Williams (who parents are Ohio State alums) was coming the next season. Duke would have been really loaded.
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Actually Duke still recruits those type of kids. Kyrie Irving would have left after this year if he didn't get hurt. He still might leave. Duke also heavily recruited Harrison Barnes, but he picked UNC. Barnes might be the #1 pick. What folks don't realize is a lot these highly rated kids with NBA aspirations really don't want to go to Duke. They prefer the Ohio States, UNCs and Kentucky’s of the world. Those are the programs that are putting out NBA lottery players every year.
 
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