Section 8. The Congress shall have Power to declare War....and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water
here's something i'm sick of: athletes getting in trouble for making "war" references when talking about an upcoming game. have we reached the point where metaphors are not allowed any more? is this only inappropriate because we have troops fighting overseas right now? i don't recall big stinks being made pre 9/11 when guys talked about "getting ready to do battle" or things along those lines. and anyway, can anyone tell me when the last time there was no war going on somewhere in the world? it would have to be measured in the hundreds, if not thousands, of years. according to this, two people are dying every minute in a conflict somewhere in the world. how about using some of your righteous indignation where that is concerned? chill out, people. we know it's just a game, they know it's just a game, so just get back to stifling criticism and dissent and stop worrying about what's coming out of some power forward's mouth.
UPDATE, 2:20pm: unbeknownst to me, CSTB was already all over this last night.
Comments
I suggest reading Greenberg's article on ESPN.com. He takes a different approach, where it's not the war references that matter, but the glorification of guns and violence. Guns are made to be cool, and Garnett's comments seem to further this characterization, when they're clearly anything but. To me, this seems to be an important distinction.
Posted by: Phillip | May 19, 2004 01:40 PM
I read that after reading Jamie. It bugs me when the media gets all high and mighty about how the media is screwing up the country. Greenberg even named his page is called Shut Up. Thanks for your empathy, Mike. Not sure why he gets to decide when and where to set a good example. A little consistency would be nice, particularly from ESPN, which is becoming more and more evil.
Mike Greenberg! His social commentary should never go beyond defining metrosexual.
Posted by: jake | May 19, 2004 01:59 PM
so you want to ban rap music and video games too, Phil? Greenberg can kiss off. yes Garnett did reference guns, but that doens't change my point that it's a metaphor!!! he also referenced having "a missile launcher" which don't usually figure too prominently in street violence. and that's not why Garnett had to apologize. the headline was: "Garnett Sorry for 'Ready for War' Remarks". basketball games do not glorify violence unless Bill Laimbeer is involved.
Posted by: jamie | May 19, 2004 02:08 PM
Jamie, I assume you meant that only when Laimbeer is on the receiving end is violence glorified.
Posted by: jake | May 19, 2004 02:47 PM
right. oh and i forgot about the time Danny Ainge bit Tree Rollins at the the bottom of a scrum. that was great.
Posted by: jamie | May 19, 2004 02:53 PM
Jamie you missed my point entirely and I suggest you work to improve your reading comprehension skills. I was merely commenting that Greenberg, unlike the other assholes, takes a different approach on the metaphor where the focus isn't the war angle you disdain, but gun violence in general – and that this was a new and interesting twist (even if on the same old bullshit, I might add).
He's gonna be your Frankenstein!
Posted by: Phillip | May 19, 2004 03:46 PM
Jamie, I am now officially worried. Tree Rollins bit Danny Ainge's finger, although the legend has it the other way around since Ainge was such a jerk on the court.
How about when Ralph Sampson went after Jerry Sichting, and Johnny Most went nuts and called Sampson a coward? That was great. God, I hate the Celtics.
Posted by: jake | May 19, 2004 03:56 PM
wow, i'm not having a good day.
Phil - i did read your comment multiple times, and was trying to decide whether your own opinion was included in what you wrote. my mistake that i thought it was.
still, Greenberg is a gasbag like the rest of the ESPN crew. Baseball Tonight has been rendered unwatchable. much as i loved John Kruk on Letterman back in the day (Jake, please don't tell me it was actually Aresnio or something), he is quickly rivaling Rob Dibble on the inanity scale. he actually said last night that the Giants should not start Barry Bonds (their only above average hitter mind you) and wait until the right moment to insert him into the game, whether it be in the 2nd or 9th inning. what??!!? this is after he tried ot aruge that Juan Pierre was a more valuable player than Bonds a few weeks ago.
if it weren't for Jon Miller and Gary Thorne, i might swear off ESPN all together.
Posted by: jamie | May 19, 2004 05:19 PM
Jamie, i was just busting your balls, even if you were wrong :)
Tho, being the grammar nut that you are, I was hoping you'd break down my comment word by word, sentence by sentence, and completely shit-house me -- you let me down, my friend.
I think what my friend's trying to say is...love is blind.
Posted by: Phillip | May 20, 2004 09:42 AM