Westbrook post game interview thread.

[7StraightIsGreat]

Been going to Jazz games for 30 years. I’ve never heard anybody get racially nasty. Now, I realize I only hear what’s directly around me and there’s bound to be a few knuckleheads in every group. That being said, I actually think guys like Westbrook use Utah’s demographics to simply imply racism thinking that people will buy into it since we’re mostly white. That’s pretty chicken **** if you ask me.

And while I’m sure there’s some pretty douchey, Ed Hardy wearing idiots on the front row, I can’t imagine Jazz staff tolerating any types of racial slurs being tossed around. In this day and age of cell phones, I can’t imagine somebody actually doing it without 15 other people nearby getting video evidence.

 

[kabenac]

If it was race-related comments I bet Westbrook would have mentioned it as he doesn't hold back complaints. He was just being a whiny b---h. As mentioned by others, fans shouldn't ever insult ethnicity or an athlete's kids. Everything else is fair game.

 

[LifeOnaPlate]

If fans are saying things about someone's family, their kids, I think those fans should be banned from the arena. Same with threats and racial ****. If they are heard saying it or the player can point them out, I think they should be ejected and not allowed back.

Completely agree.

In this case, Russell was just building his case to defend himself when the league comes after him for swinging at a fan. You can easily read his lips during the altercation. He said "get that camera out my face." Had the fan said something about his kids or something he would've said something else. I call B.S. Plus, the league can check the fan's video of the altercation. I hope it comes out.

 

[infection]

If fans are saying things about someone's family, their kids, I think those fans should be banned from the arena. Same with threats and racial ****. If they are heard saying it or the player can point them out, I think they should be ejected and not allowed back.

While I cannot speak for anyone’s experience claims, I’ve been to well over a hundred Jazz games, with the majority of them on the third row behind the basket (hearing what all the players hear), though in the past 14 years I’ve really only been to maybe 10 games (usually sitting a bit farther away), I have never heard anyone use racial taunts or comments about anyone’s families. I’ve heard crude stuff and I’ve occasionally heard personal stuff (referencing off-the-court/legal troubles), but never racial slurs or family things. Again, just my experience.

The narrative is that we’re a racist fan base and I’ve heard those comments over the years implying such. Derek Fisher shoots a free throw and a camera capturing 1/4 of the stadium has a zoom in of a random guy who has his hand up on his eye and the connection is that he’s referencing Fisher’s daughter. I have no idea. Perhaps he was, and if he was it ain’t anything 99.9% of us condone, but it’s hard to find something like that and make that connection unless you’re looking for it.

Again, not questioning anyone’s experiences, as I’m sure these things happen — everywhere, not just here — but as far as my experience and sample size (which is sufficiently large), it’s not something I’ve ever seen personally.

The narrative is out there and it isn’t changing anytime soon, and I’m not too invested in bending over backward to change stereotypes about our entire fan base stemming from possible exceptions to what’s been an otherwise upstanding base (by any NBA standards).

 

[NUMBERICA]

He just said he doesn't agree with what fans can say to guys on the floor, saying they wouldn't just say that on the street. I agree I guess, but stop being a baby. He goes on to say something should change, and I qoute. "ESPECIALLY HERE IN UTAH"

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using JazzFanz mobile app

I actually don't disagree with any of that.
That being said, this is ultimately entertainment, and they're paid plenty well to take some verbal abuse.

 

[NUMBERICA]

If fans are saying things about someone's family, their kids, I think those fans should be banned from the arena. Same with threats and racial ****. If they are heard saying it or the player can point them out, I think they should be ejected and not allowed back.

Would rep.

 

[Jack Strop]

The Westbrook reaction was so derivative. Rodney Hood already did the phone slap...and did it much better. He's just trying to sell it to the league office now. If he can convince them thee was some taunting by the fan, maybe he gets less than a $35K fine (the amount Hood was fined).

 

[NUMBERICA]

Been going to Jazz games for 30 years. I’ve never heard anybody get racially nasty. Now, I realize I only hear what’s directly around me and there’s bound to be a few knuckleheads in every group. That being said, I actually think guys like Westbrook use Utah’s demographics to simply imply racism thinking that people will buy into it since we’re mostly white. That’s pretty chicken **** if you ask me.

And while I’m sure there’s some pretty douchey, Ed Hardy wearing idiots on the front row, I can’t imagine Jazz staff tolerating any types of racial slurs being tossed around. In this day and age of cell phones, I can’t imagine somebody actually doing it without 15 other people nearby getting video evidence.

There is a heightened racism here, but it's certainly not overt. In other words, for the intents and purposes of this topic, I totally agree.

 

[NUMBERICA]

The Westbrook reaction was so derivative. Rodney Hood already did the phone slap...and did it much better. He's just trying to sell it to the league office now. If he can convince them thee was some taunting by the fan, maybe he gets less than a $35K fine (the amount Hood was fined).

I was just thinking about how that's probably the coolest thing Hood did all year.

 

[oneye]

There is a heightened racism here, but it's certainly not overt. In other words, for the intents and purposes of this topic, I totally agree.

I’m interested, have you heard it in the arena?

 

[NUMBERICA]

I’m interested, have you heard it in the arena?

That's precisely my point; it's not overt. So, no.

The average white Utahan is pretty oblivious to matters of race, but almost none of them think they are racist. There's plenty of area between a full-blown Klansman and an actual non or anti-racist, and Utah is a prime example of that.

You can't have such a stark socio-racial stratification, one of the most white states in the country*, that's also one of the reddest states in the country**, essentially founded by people who's official position on blacks and Native Americans is that they're a lower form of human***, and expect it be a haven for equality and understanding with regard to the interplay between race, socio-economic status, and implicit (NOT explicit [at this stage]) bias.

TLDR; Utahans try to be good on this issue, but are largely naive or ignorant to the world and their place in it.

(Maybe I'll get to those footnotes, but I realize I probably should just get off my phone and get to work now.)

 

[NUMBERICA]

That's precisely my point; it's not overt. So, no.

The average white Utahan is pretty oblivious to matters of race, but almost none of them think they are racist. There's plenty of area between a full-blown Klansman and an actual non or anti-racist, and Utah is a prime example of that.

You can't have such a stark socio-racial stratification, one of the most white states in the country*, that's also one of the reddest states in the country**, essentially founded by people who's official position on blacks and Native Americans is that they're a lower form of human***, and expect it be a haven for equality and understanding with regard to the interplay between race, socio-economic status, and implicit (NOT explicit [at this stage]) bias.

TLDR; Utahans try to be good on this issue, but are largely naive or ignorant to the world and their place in it.

(Maybe I'll get to those footnotes, but I realize I probably should just get off my phone and get to work now.)

Actually, I guess it depends on what you define as racist. Heard plenty of comments/jokes about, for example, a player's hair, and the root/essence of the joke could only be said of a black person's type of hair. There's some subtle/dog-whistle stuff out there, plenty of it.

 

[infection]

That's precisely my point; it's not overt. So, no.

The average white Utahan is pretty oblivious to matters of race, but almost none of them think they are racist. There's plenty of area between a full-blown Klansman and an actual non or anti-racist, and Utah is a prime example of that.

You can't have such a stark socio-racial stratification, one of the most white states in the country*, that's also one of the reddest states in the country**, essentially founded by people who's official position on blacks and Native Americans is that they're a lower form of human***, and expect it be a haven for equality and understanding with regard to the interplay between race, socio-economic status, and implicit (NOT explicit [at this stage]) bias.

TLDR; Utahans try to be good on this issue, but are largely naive or ignorant to the world and their place in it.

(Maybe I'll get to those footnotes, but I realize I probably should just get off my phone and get to work now.)

Examples of how that specifically plays out at Vivint that you’ve seen?

 

[NUMBERICA]

Examples of how that specifically plays out at Vivint that you’ve seen?

Actually, kinda answered this (to some degree, I don't remember the particulars, I just hear some pretty ignorant dog-whistle **** most times I'm there from any random guy that usually reminds me of the singer of smash mouth) before you asked.

Actually, I guess it depends on what you define as racist. Heard plenty of comments/jokes about, for example, a player's hair, and the root/essence of the joke could only be said of a black person's type of hair. There's some subtle/dog-whistle stuff out there, plenty of it.

 

[Getting Traded]

America is racist period, but the NBA is one of the most racially tolerant "businesses" in the U.S. and really a model for integration. I don't live in Utah but I don't think you can judge LDS today on the views of their founders. Utah may be a red state traditionally, but I have a sense that it's changing. A friend from grad school who has been living in SLC for 20 years and who is American Indian told me that around 20,000 showed up to hear Bernie Sanders during his campaign stop in SLC -- anyone else go to hear him in SLC on this board? After the debacle that is Trump and the corruption of the DNC, I think many are coming to their senses and will look to the Progressives for leadership -- at least, that's my hope.

 

[7StraightIsGreat]

That's precisely my point; it's not overt. So, no.

The average white Utahan is pretty oblivious to matters of race, but almost none of them think they are racist. There's plenty of area between a full-blown Klansman and an actual non or anti-racist, and Utah is a prime example of that.

You can't have such a stark socio-racial stratification, one of the most white states in the country*, that's also one of the reddest states in the country**, essentially founded by people who's official position on blacks and Native Americans is that they're a lower form of human***, and expect it be a haven for equality and understanding with regard to the interplay between race, socio-economic status, and implicit (NOT explicit [at this stage]) bias.

TLDR; Utahans try to be good on this issue, but are largely naive or ignorant to the world and their place in it.

(Maybe I'll get to those footnotes, but I realize I probably should just get off my phone and get to work now.)

I think it works both ways. Being that I’m a white man born and raised in Utah, people of different races probably look at me and make some pretty broad based assumptions about who I am and what I believe.

I’m probably seen as Mormon, republican, and it’s probably assumed that I automatically have some form of racial bias built into my DNA. I guarantee if Russell Westbrook ever met me, that’s what he’d be thinking. It’s quite ironic actually.

 

[reignman40]

I really don't see anyone saying anything racial more than once. Everyone around them would be like dude not cool. After the second time I think they would get their *** kicked.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using JazzFanz mobile app

 

[reignman40]

KSL 5 just had the guy that was holding the phone and even showed the video. All he did was record the players coming off the court and Westbrick slaps his hand. He's a baby and a loose cannon with his actions and words.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using JazzFanz mobile app

 

[Jazzta]

Actually, I guess it depends on what you define as racist. Heard plenty of comments/jokes about, for example, a player's hair, and the root/essence of the joke could only be said of a black person's type of hair. There's some subtle/dog-whistle stuff out there, plenty of it.

If you’re talking about Elfrid Payton it really doesn’t matter what race he is, that thing is hideous. The birdman for instance also looked like a clown.

 

[carolinajazz]

I see one sports broadcaster was suspended for 1 game for using the expression "cotton picken" in describing Westbrooks game!
I remember years ago I got wrote up for using the same expression on this board! Crazy, crazy, crazy!