For years people have always grumbled about the lack of activism and community leadership by professional athletes, particularly by our most successful athletes, like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods. In a recent interview with HBO's Real Sports, former NFL great Jim Brown went off on the lack of activism shown by both Woods and Jordan in recent years."There are one or two individuals in this country that are black that have been put in front of us as an example," Brown told Real Sports host Bryant Gumbel. "But they're basically under a system that says, 'Hey, they're not gonna do a certain thing.' Yes, that disappoints me because I know they both know better. You know what's so interesting about Tiger to me? If it was just a matter of me looking at an individual that's a monster competitor, this cat is a mama-jama, he is a killer. He'll run over you, he'll kick your ass, but as an individual for social change, or any of that kind of (stuff)...terrible, terrible. Because he can get away with teaching kids to play golf, and that's his contribution. And in the real world, man, I can't teach no kids to play golf and that's my contribution, if I got that kind of power."
For most of his life after football, Brown has been in the streets trying to curtail violence and promote education in the 'hood. The new episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel will air on HBO this week and will also feature basketball great Bill Russell.
Comments: (35)
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By: WENDY on 7/09/2009 9:38AM
So true. Tiger doesn't consider himself African-American (black). Instead he madeup an ethinic category called Caublasian (whatever the heck that is). "Cau" for Caucasian, "bl" for black, and "asian" for Asian. It's his foolish way of hiding and distanting himself from being called black. Notice when Fuzzy Zeller talked about Woods in the early 1990s (something about greens), it was a racial slur. What did Tiger do? He acted as though he wasn't offended. And when a so-called "friend" of Tiger said something about lynching, Woods pretended it didn't matter. And then the noose thing in the magazine. . . You all know Wood's stance on that, too. The usual indifference. He stands up for NOTHING and sits down for everything. I heard that the Obama team practically had to beg Woods to make an appearance at the Inaugeration. Mr. Woods will not go down in the history books as the "first African-American" or "black" anything in golf, and his legacy will reflect as much. He's self-absorbed, arrogant, and has long disengaged (if he ever was engaged from the start) himself from the black community. I don't even watch his golf games anymore.
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By: WENDY on 7/09/2009 10:16AM
So true. Tiger doesn't consider himself African-American (black). Instead he madeup an ethnic category called Caublasian (whatever the heck that is). "Cau" for Caucasian, "bl" for black, and "asian" for Asian. It's his foolish way of hiding and distancing himself from being called black. Notice when Fuzzy Zeller talked about Woods in the early 1990s (something about greens), it was a racial slur. What did Tiger do? He acted as though he wasn't offended. And when a so-called "friend" of Tiger said something about lynching, Woods pretended it didn't matter. And then the noose thing in the magazine. . . You all know Wood's stance on that, too. The usual indifference. He stands up for NOTHING and sits down for everything. I heard that the Obama team practically had to beg Woods to make an appearance at the Inauguration. Mr. Woods will not go down in the history books as the "first African-American" or "black" anything in golf, and his legacy will reflect as much. He's self-absorbed, arrogant, and has long disengaged (if he ever was engaged from the start) himself from the black community. I don't even watch his golf games anymore.
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By: BETTYEJ on 6/23/2009 1:24PM
Jim, you know what the problem is? Most young kids regardless of the color don't give a hoot about what any adult is trying to tell them. And when you think about it, most of the adults that are sports hero's and entertainers are only for making the all mighty dollar.
What these adults need to learn is money don't give you the right to break laws and it's better to have safe sex, instead of all of these unwanted children they leave all over the planet.
Before they can reach children, they need to put their own house in order.
This might be 2009, where anything goes, but until we start respecting ourself and living correctly, then children will be willing to hear what we are talking about.
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By: bill on 6/23/2009 1:56PM
JIM CLOWN..Ooops Brown,your old news. go beat your wife some more!!!
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By: hasani715 on 6/23/2009 9:43PM
Learn how to spell BEFORE you post another comment critical of cat like Jim Brown. he's paid his dues and more. On the other hand, you do not know which "your" or "you're" to use and when to use! PLEASE!!!
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By: amarillo on 6/23/2009 3:05PM
God Bless Jim Brown! Wish we had more men like him. We should get behind black men like him, who try to contribute to the community visibly (others might be doing something behind the scenes, but these high impact individuals need to be known and seen making a difference.) The black community needs to boycott black individuals who take our money, but are invisible when it comes to supporting the community.
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By: herman r on 6/24/2009 11:51PM
god bless jim, you've been there for young brothers a long time. to bad even with your star power that more prominent african american men dont touch basis with your on the issues you address. each one,teach one! there should be organizations and work shops everywhere for the imbetterment of our culture.
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By: WENDY on 7/09/2009 9:42AM
Amen! I couldn't have said it better.
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By: Harold Willis on 6/23/2009 8:00PM
I agree with Jim to a certain degree but maybe that's not Tiger's or Michael's calling. That's Jim's calling but not nessasarily their calling.
They can probably do more to speak about social change, but they are effecting change by doing their part.
God gave us different talents and we are use those talents the best we can.
Everyone can't be Jim Brown.
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By: mrsj on 6/23/2009 7:44PM
I agree w/mr. willis. However, if anyone has a popular inage, they should loudly speak out and maybe our youngsters will listen enough to stop and think. They have an obligation whether they have an actual calling or not.
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