y'all see it and I ain't giving no link, no quotes, no nothing.

he know what will happen to this movement's momentum the minute you coons start poplocking and twerking about that ball going theough that hoop. he KNOW y'all.

like isiah before him, he standing up the commish, the owners, the power agents (rich might be worse than falk and rosen) and the game's best players to DEFEND and ADVOCATE for the league's middle and lower class.

y'all MAD and i hope they don't play. GOOD!

If the season is canceled, owners could terminate the CBA, plus players stand to lose $645,000,000.

The veterans got their money throughout the years, but the younger players, especially the ones who are still on rookie deals, this would wreck them financially.

https://twitter.com/GottliebShow/status/1271648845152219137?s=20

Seeing quite a few bad takes about this on Twitter but this takes the cake.

Apparently Kyrie’s questions/points were pretty mild (not that it matters) yet he’s still getting the “Shut up and dribble” response. People really give up the game when they talk like this. We all wanna see basketball start up again... but I also want to see any issues the players have get addressed BEFORE that happens.

i have no idea why dude is still gainfully employed in the world of sports.

is worse than the last.

Tillman is used for bad talking points so much his wife had to tell everyone to stop.

Very little comes to mind.

On literally everything.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1271653476762882048

Just from a health perspective, it's an extremely dangerous idea.

And I can't fault anyone who doesn't feel like taking the court right now, given the social upheaval going on.

>Just from a health perspective, it's an extremely dangerous
>idea.
>
>And I can't fault anyone who doesn't feel like taking the
>court right now, given the social upheaval going on.

Sure there's assumptive risk involved - but I wouldn't consider playing basketball right now to be akin to cage-diving with Great Whites with the gate open.

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It's coming out that the Disney employees at the site are going to be able to come and go. So, in the words of one NBA executive, it's less of a bubble and more of a "mesh hat." Then, lets add in that cases are currently spiking in Florida because the state government hasn't been taking this pandemic seriously.

Players have health concerns. I don't feel like ignoring them just because people want to watch basketball.

but it appears the vast majority of players want to play - knowing very well what the risks are. I don't think that it's accurate to characterize Covid-19 as an "extreme" risk to NBA players playing in Orlando. A risk - for sure - but not an extreme risk (especially given the fact that the players are young, active, and decisively more healthy in the areas that really matter with Covid-19: obesity and cardio-vascular health).

Yes - Florida is experiencing spikes in infection and regardless of how tight-sealed of a containment zone one wants to create for the players, it won't be impenetrable and will be vulnerable. That may just very well be what living in the world will have to be like for the foreseeable future. A successful vaccine may never be created. Even if it is, it will likely be imperfect. Covid-19 may never fully go away (like HIV and influenza). So we may have to get used to living in a world with its risk added to a litany of other hazards associated with living on the planet.

I just saw a picture of a lung from a 20 year old who had a double lung transplant

I don't think it's being effectively communicated that the risks aren't just death alone, that in severe cases recovery has been months at time and severe organ damage even when done.

But here's what we do now: For most people, the symptoms end with a cough and a fever. The vast majority of cases (~90%) are very mild. But for some, the infection gets more severe. About 5 to 8 days after symptoms begin, they have shortness of breath (known as dyspnea). Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) begins a few days later. For these patients (who almost always have a condition rendering them more vulnerable to Covid-19) - the prospect of serious/lung damage is very real.

But for NBA players, the overwhelming majority (if not every single one of them) will shrug Covid-19 off with very mild symptoms (like KD, Gobert and several other players). About 1 out of every 65 players has tested positive for Covid-19, and no players have reported severe symptoms.

>I just saw a picture of a lung from a 20 year old who had a
>double lung transplant

We can always point to individual cases - but we shouldn't point to them as if the exceptions are the rule.

>I don't think it's being effectively communicated that the
>risks aren't just death alone, that in severe cases recovery
>has been months at time and severe organ damage even when
>done.

I think that's being communicated pretty effectively. This is a gigantic deal and a serious threat to public health, but we also shouldn't overstate its threat as well. Influenza can also cause permanent organ damage in severe cases with immuno-compromised patients. Covid-19 is decisively more dangerous than most forms of influenza, but unfortunately, we may have to start to accept that we're going to have to live with the virus, like we live with many other viruses.


-->

Mainly, what's likely to happen to a body when encountering a new virus
And using the sample size of a grossly under-tested populace to say that anyone has an adequate amount of information to scale up a prediction

-->

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/symptoms-causes/syc-20479963

Although there is no vaccine available to prevent COVID-19, you can take steps to reduce your risk of infection. WHO and CDC recommend following these precautions for avoiding COVID-19:

Avoid large events and mass gatherings.

Avoid close contact (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters) with anyone who is sick or has symptoms.

Stay home as much as possible and keep distance between yourself and others (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters), especially if you have a higher risk of serious illness. Keep in mind some people may have COVID-19 and spread it to others, even if they don't have symptoms or don't know they have COVID-19.

And he’s pretending to be a fucking dr while parroting
GOP talking points to distract.

Vex just wants the blacks to entertain him.

Dude doesn’t even realize what a racist, sexist, clueless
asshole he is.

Dude literally sounds like Trump. Fucking wow.

Damn.

Yikes my guy. Seek help.

-->

And this country has done such a piss-poor job and tracking and testing that it's going to be a while before we really do know who this virus operates. And even Adam Silver has said it's not a matter of "if" but "when" and "how many" players test positive for COVID-19 during what left of this season.

I think given how much we don't know, and very real concerns by a not insignificant group of players that re-starting the league has the very real potential to take eyes and energy away from the BLM and anti-police brutality protests, I'm perfectly okay with giving up the idea of basketball this season. It really isn't worth risk or the energy just so these owners can make a shit-ton of money.

It really isn't worth risk or the energy just so these
>owners can make a shit-ton of money.

The players collectively could lose +$1 billion in salary if they decide to forfeit the season - not to mention the tearing up of the hard fought CBA - which will trigger a new Agreement that will be far less beneficial for the players.

That may be cool for the top-tier cats making ~$30 million per year, but for the vast majority of players in the middle/lower market, it's devastating.


-->

It all comes down to that.

And trust- a lot of us see through your bullshit act.

“Anyone who wants to sit can sit” FOH

“Majority get mild symptoms!” FOH

You aren’t fooling anyone anymore. You are completely
full of shit.

You just want to be entertained.

Previous things you’ve said make more sense tho.

One of the core arguments seems to be that people will care a whole lot less about police brutality once sports are back, which, spot the lie.

It’s for sure true.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2896051-austin-rivers-details-why-hes-opposed-to-kyrie-irvings-stance-on-nba-restart

A bunch of Rivers' points center on money. As in, "With the money that you make playing, you can donate to the appropriate causes" and "young players need the money more than Kyrie."

I find the second point fairly disingenuous, because not everyone in the gets to play: only the play-off teams and those close to making the play-offs. Some of the youngest/least financially set players in the league (like the Hawks) aren't getting a chance at paychecks. And unless a player has a specific clause in their contract (and many don't), then they don't get paid during the play-offs.

Only people that are going to be making real money from this are the owners and the league.

It’s also hard to disagree with those who want to.

Good for him for speaking out.

The earth is still round tho.

Of course I respect their principles and nobody should be pressured to play now if they don't want to, whether due to coronavirus or the social movement going on.

I just don't get what they think will be accomplished by not playing basketball for a few months. Do they really think that if there's no basketball people will be forced to talk about systemic racism? The news cycle will do its thing no matter what.

It sounds like Kyrie is advocating for a strike, which needs demands. If they're tall about it, the NBA Players Association could say "we're not playing until Qualified Immunity is abolished and extensive police reform and reallocation of funds to marginalized communities happens in every NBA city" or they could demand that every NBA team and sponsor donates 10 million to community organizations.

but to take Dwight Howard's position of "no basketball until we get things resolved" is too vague and does nothing for the movement while threatening the livelihood of younger or non-star players

https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/36004/paypal-commits-550m-to-black-and-minority-businesses-and-communities

$550 million. $500m to invest in black and minority owned startups and their communities, $15m to black owned companies and those supporting them that were affected by the riots and $15m to promote inclusivity within the company.

If NBA players demand something like that from the league, I'm all for it. But if they just say we're not playing because it's a distraction, I don't see how that accomplishes anything because the media won't have trouble finding other distractions.

The opportunities to make a positive difference may never be bigger. Hopefully they handle this the right way, whatever that may be.

I think Kyrie’s heart is in the right place, but I can’t say I trust that he’s some visionary here.

The whole other thing is I truly wouldn’t blame any player who doesn’t want to go live in a bubble by himself for a minimum of 2 months.

Whenever I log into MLB The Show or Apex Legends, I'm greeted by a message that Black Lives Matter. I might be having a real good, carefree, white guy in the midwest while the sun is shining kind of day, but whenever I turn to my favorite forms of escapism to tie a neat little bow on all that it's right there in front of my face - our country is a dumpster fire! Enjoy your video game, but remember how privileged you are to have that controller in your hand to send inputs into this console.


I appreciate if Kyrie (and those who are aligned with him) have an eventual endgoal of the NBA taking a similarly in your face approach, allowing for the fact that it is a distraction but never accepting that it has to only distract, but I think viewing the NBA as incapable of doing that just isn't very imaginative.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

He can’t really explain why he feels they shouldn’t play, other than to say he thinks it’s inappropriate. And furthermore, isn’t he hurt? So what’s his deal?

that's what keeps getting lost. the issue was brought TO him. he didn't drum up support amond the rank and file.

and this is why i hate that kyrie has become a "bad guy" in sports, becaus those guys are ALWAYS black and they never really have done shit worth the scorn.

cavs tried to trade him, so he requested a trade

stevens cause dissention in the lockerroom by starting 70% ass hayward and kyrie had to own up to the fact that he failed miserably at getting the guys back on the right page

that's why he's hated. for dumb shit. so, now legit concerns from the rank and file are being dismissed because they filtered through kyrie?

y'all can't WAIT to ignore the issue and coon off some dunks and dribbling

What does this even mean:

"I don’t support going into Orlando. I’m not with the systematic racism and the bullshit. Something smells a little fishy."

I get he doesn't want to go to Orlando, ok. I'm confused what "the systematic racism and the bullshit" is about playing games in a bubble in Disney World. And "fishy" implies there's some ulterior motive to the league reopening when there isn't, there's just one motive and that's money (which shouldn't everyone understand?)

again, the concerns were brought to him over the course of a week after they voted to go with the NBA's bubble plan. guys felt RAILROADED and he had to be the one nigga in the NBAPA to do his JOB and bring these concerns to the table.

when a coherent plan isn't shared with all 450 players in the league and the only guys really being engaged by the commish and owner are superstars and guys on contending...SOMETHING is FISHY, DAWG.

they tried to push the shit through when there are still questions to be answered. they have no control over whether disney employees can come and go. they have no idea how and if they be vocal in their protesting on court or postgame.

they wanna just roll that ball out there and let niggas nig again. that's it.

The shit you’re saying is more substantial than what he said...he asked about injury rehab and booze, where are you getting this idea that he’s some type of crusader?

Everything you said is valid too. I think every question you raised is valid! But you seem even more inquisitive than he was.

and the fact that those are the only quotes from him on those calls is FISHY. you and i both know he said more.

This was a conference call with friends, peers, and colleagues. It wasn't a formal meeting. I certainly know that I don't always expresses myself in "ready for press" soundbites when I'm talking with my friends and peers. This wasn't like Dwight Howard's official statement, which was written with the expectation that it would be printed/broadcast. Kyrie was making impassioned, off the cuff remarks that weren't made with the expectation that they were going to be sum total of his thoughts on the matter.

In this case, I think we can taking meaning from the general sentiments that he expressed (we shouldn't play, it will take attention away from the BLM and anti-police brutality protests) rather than closely scrutinizing every word here.

there's a lot of "projecting things you already think"

if you ignore what he actually said and assume he means the same things you think he should mean.

www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

...should resume play tho. And that he thinks playing takes attention away from the protests.

I'm not going to trip on how he phrased his concerns to his friends and peers. If he decides that he wants to make a formal statement to the press about his position, that's another thing.

They shouldn't play.

>They shouldn't play.

not just what they would make this year but from what I understand if they don’t finish the season it may affect contracts and the CBA going into next season and beyond

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29319677/avery-bradley-says-nba-players-coalition-wants-league-plan-black-causes-restart?platform=amp&__twitter_impression=true

demands include:

Improved hiring practices of front office and head coaching for black candidates.

Donations to organizations supporting black communities.

Partnerships with black owned businesses and arena vendors.

It's probably better that Bradley is leading this instead of Irving, who is clearly more controversial, but without Kyrie leading the charge and creating some drama and attention not sure you get here.

cue the white NBA fans complaining about racism

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looks like JR likely to be picked up in his place. Malcolm Brogdon tests positive for Covid.

Black millionaires positioning themselves as the employed and sheltered with access to testing as the country becomes more unemployed with more cases and fewer tests is going to be an interesting vehicle to advance Black social issues.