Race-baiting again in Boston
Jul 2nd, 2007 by Bill Burt
I have a column in today’s Eagle-Tribune Publishing Co. papers about comments made by ESPN’s Michael Wilbon last week after being asked why big name free agents don’t want to play for the Celtics.
Wilbon was way out of line. From making claims that fans or residents called him the “N-word” to trying to convince Doc Rivers that coaching in Boston is a bad thing, Wilbon was all over the map.
The interview was on Dan Patrick’s ESPN radio show. I can not find the link. If I do I will get it in this blog.
I’m not saying racism doesn’t exist. I’m saying Wilbon’s delivery and claims were ridiculous.
If you heard the interview or have any comments on the column, send them here and I’ll respond.
20 reader comments to “Race-baiting again in Boston”
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1CK Dexter Haven said:
I heard Wilbon’s most recent comments on the matter. I’ve heard him say similar things in the past.
I’m at a loss to understand how you can assert that his claims “were ridiculous.” You’re accusing him of lying? Were you there? Have you ever been a black man in his position? Your refutation is ridiculous.
Boston has long had this reputation. I’ve never lived there. But, i know of the reputation, both from residents and from people ‘victimized’ by residents. It’s not a myth.
I do have some issue with Wilbon’s repeated assertions that this is STILL an issue in Boston. But, he himself has also acknowledged that his experiences and confirming experiences of others were ‘historical,’ and may be less applicable today. I’m not sure why he would continue to push this - i can only assume that his experiences were so ugly and damaging that they have been thus far impossible to forgive. This, again, is not something you are likely to understand unless you have been similarly victimized.
How about this: You’re a journalist, no? Your denial of the allegation suggests bias. Why not ask the appropriate questions of those who might be in the position to confirm or refute Wilbon’s claims? Look into it, before leaping to the defense of your precious city.
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2fred holder said:
I do not believe free agents do not go to the Celtics because of rascism.They do not go there because the management is clueless.The Pats have no problem getting free agents of any color.The sox also.In the years past I am sure there were problems,&still some attitudes now that are wrong.Boston is not any differant than any other large city.I live outside Ft. Lauderdale.
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4CK Dexter Haven said:
Bill,
The one fault i have with your response is found in your classification of Wilbon as a “sportswriter. That’s it.” He is a sportswriter. But, in the modern age, even those who consider themselves “journalists” also consider themselves “commentators” with broad editorial license. Witness the mockery of humanity in Steven A. Smith. He might also be called a sportswriter, but his diatribes go far beyond that.But, whatever. I don’t know the specifics of the Doc Rivers situation, as Wilbon didn’t go very far into that. But, perhaps his advice to Rivers would be considered more appropriate if they were known to be friends? In that instance, the fault would not be in the advice itself, but in the public release of the ‘information.’
I agree that Wilbon should not be engaged in a public campaign against a city, regardless of his personal history. I don’t agree with the characterization of “throwing gasoline” the cause. He presented his opinion on a potentially inflammatory issue. If these things, real or imagined, go ignored or undiscussed, then there is no “cause.” There’s no movement to “help the cause” without discussion of it.
Your statement that Boston has come a long way over the last two decades seems to indicate your awareness of a problem, even if it is less current in your mind. The world has come a long way in two decades. But, not far enough. And, because the issue has not, and cannot be fully ‘resolved,’ it may still be a valid issue and worthy of consideration by people who have to make life decisions when Boston is a factor.
Believe me, i’m not really a Wilbon fan, and i don’t believe his remarks were professionally presented. But, there’s a difference between ignoring the substance of the remarks and ignoring the commentator. This isn’t too far removed from the Imus / Sharpton debacle. Too many people dismissed the damaging comments because they didn’t like Sharpton. One would think reasonably sophisticated adults could discern the message from the courier, but America isn’t as smart as i would hope.
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6Ben Bowman said:
Hi Bill-
I grew up in Cambridge, and my mother teaches on Mission Hill with largely underprivileged youth. We have both witnessed racism extensively in Boston, even through the 90’s and the 00’s. Sometimes the racism is subtle, and sometimes it is outright, but it’s there.
To a prospective free-agent, there is not a lot to like about playing in Boston, including racism: the weather is cold, the city is wildly dedicated to the Red Sox and Patriots instead of basketball, Rivers is totally out-matched, Ainge is erratic and makes bizarre trades, AND there is a surprisingly large amount of racism throughout the City from the “people’s republic of Cambridge” to Mission Hill. Wilbon is right to bring this to the forefront. You won’t find any lynchings happening anytime soon, but there’s a lot of quiet hostility towards Black people in Boston.
It saddens me, because the Celtics are my favorite team from any sport, but the truth hurts sometimes.
-Ben
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8Nashua said:
Mr. Burt,
My hat’s off to you in a mode of reverence. I read all of the comments and didn’t even want to respond to any of them with a 30 foot pole! Dexter and Ben went so far off from the point that you were making that it was disturbing! To the point of affliction! Curiosly Dexter, “…Boston has long had this reputation. I’ve never lived there (but heard rumors, heresay, untestified myths).” Dexter has issues to resolve and it isn’t going to get to done here on a sports blog. How do the kids say it? Chillax? Whew! Then Ben, Oh Mr. Ben, you made it so that my heart…. paused for moments. In this day and age, for you to even type the word ‘lynchings’, what a cruel and thoughtless way for you to respond to this blog, the simplest perhaps purest forums of response in an age of online. Certainly, Ben and Dexter, I want you to speak your mind, but is this the proper severity in which you wish to express your thoughts and feelings? Heck, it’s a sports blog. Understood, the issue is one of fiery feelings and responses, but this isn’t what Mr. Burt was referring to. It kind of got away…. Again, Bill my compliments to you for handling these responses so well. Will be back in the future to comment or stay away with a 30 foot pole again.
Ray - Nashua -
9Dan Ray said:
Bill,
I came across your website by accident. I appreciate that you’re upset, but your claims about Wilbon are way way off base. First off, Wilbon is not just a sportswriter but an actor as well, part of his job is to throw gasoline out there, especially in a slow sporting news cycle. He’s supposed to make things interesting and he does it well (as evidenced by your response). Secondly, he’s not “all over the map”. I listened to him talk about this issue over the course of several days, and he continually made one specific point, over and over again: “black athletes are intimidated by boston, primarily due to racial issues.” Call it his thesis. Since Wilbon seems to know more professional athletes than just about any other sportscaster, I generally believe him when he makes general claims about athlete’s perspectives. He wouldn’t just pull that out of thin air. Finally to assert that Wilbon is a “jerk”, “nincompoop”, or any other sort of slander is simply rhetorical nonsense that does little more than betray that fact that you don’t listen to him that often, if at all. I’ve listened to the guy for over a year and read most of his columns, and he’s definitely kind, thoughtful, and intelligent - even on air. More to the point, as a black journalist he handles issues that deal with race carefully and gracefully time and time again. In fact, the only reason I even clicked on your column was because It came up in a search for “dan patrick”. When I saw the title, “PTI, but Michael Wilbon is a Jerk”, I thought to myself, “now who on earth would write that?”Oh yeah… A boston sportswriter who isn’t bill simmons.
- dan
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11Joey B said:
What was Michael Holley’s view of what Wilbon said? I wasn’t listening that day.
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12Ben C said:
Bill,
Boston by its very nature excludes people. Getting admitted to a university here is difficult, becoming a doctor here is nearly impossible, getting a job at one of world renowned financial, legal, or consulting firms is tough. So, by its nature the city excludes thousands of people, white, back, Chinese and Latino. It’s not silent or hidden; it usually comes in the form of fancy letterhead rejections. So, Boston is not racist, it’s selective, and it’s something we should be proud off. It’s just a hard place to succeed, regardless of who you are.
So, calling this city racist is an easy cheap shot. There are thousands of blacks, Asians, and Latinos who have earned their right to succeed here, our governor being a prime example.
Who knows, Wilbon may have been rejected from Harvard, and is still bitter about it.
Ben C
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15Dan Ray said:
Hey Bill,
Thanks for the apology blog. I look forward to reading some more of your posts.
- dan
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16Bob Cobb said:
Hey Bill,
That’s an interesting perspective on the issue. Just a quick question, how many black employees does the Eagle Tribune employee?
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17The Crack Staff @ Perkisabeast.com said:
Bill,
Go ride the Silver Line up Washington and then tell me Boston is not a racist town. We’re amazed you don’t need a snorkel to breath with your head that far up your tuckus. They replaced the trains with buses and painted those buses silver and told everyone it was a train! How much more institutionally racist can you get than that! This is our city, but let’s not lie about it. -
18T.J. said:
calling Wilbon an “actor” is ridiculous. He and Kornheiser are both sports journalists, employed by the Washington Post, and have to follow the precepts of journalism. While many radio hosts will come out and say that they are, in fact, not journalists (John Dennis going so far as to call himself an ‘entertainer’ on OTL), that doesn’t mean that their guests can shirk their responsibilities as journalists as well. In this day and age, sports journalists have to wear a lot of hats and permeate media in a number of ways to make ends, but as journalists their responsibilities are the same. Just because the medium has changed does not mean that the rules have; as a journalist he has to hold himself to a higher standard.
I don’t doubt Wilbon’s experiences were negative, and I certainly am aware of Boston’s racist sports past. But to suggest that things are the same today as they were when Jackie Robinson couldn’t get a tryout, and that Boston is the only city where race once was, and might still be, a problem for athletes, is irresponsible. Are there racists in Boston? undoubtedly. I’ve lived in Roxbury and seen the hostility and tension, on both sides of the tracks. Do those racists constitute anything remotely bearing on a majority? not even close. Boston has its scars, and its wounds yet to heal, just like every other sports city.
Interestingly enough, out of all the sports markets with an underlying racial divide, Minnesota would near the top of the list. The scandal with the Minnesota Vikings was a fire stoked by racial tension throughout the area and more than a few journalists, residents, and athletes suggested that had the girls working on the boats (the girls who by most accounts enjoyed themselves on the water only to reach dock and begin crying and playing the victim) not been lily white local girls, the whole affair would’ve never aroused the ire that it did. Not to mention that had the whole thing played out in Atlanta, New York, Boston, etc. that it would’ve been covered up or buried by local officials without charges ever being filed.
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19The Crack Staff @ Perkisabeast.com said:
Still doesn’t change the fact that it used to take 7 minutes from Dudley on the Orange and now it takes 35. Why? To keep the black people out of downtown and out of areas of economic opportunity. It is the hypocrisy that is so disgusting. Hooray Beer!
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20Colin said:
Wilbon talks more about this debate and specifically addresses your column in the new Bill Simmons podcast on ESPN.com.
