Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star does his best to get through to incoming NBA rookies. This year, he was partnered with Dr. Harry Edwards, sociology professor, to drive home some messages that the players need to receive so that they have a better chance to make the most of their off-court and on-court time in the league.
He was discussing the subject of tattoos on a sports talk radio show yesterday afternoon, and he made some points worthy of a mention here:
1. “Mainstream America” does NOT enjoy watching people with tattoos play sports, since watching sports is often a shared family experience and to the minds of “Mainstream America,” tattoos are offshoots of prison culture, which is not something you want to share with your kids.
2. Athletes often embrace hip-hop culture, which is music-based, rather than sports-based. Popular music is typically rebellious and anti-establishment, while sports is family-based and utterly command and control, from the all-powerful commissioner/czar down to the owner, down to the coach. There is NEVER any questioning of authority at ANY level that goes unpunished, be it by fine or by laps. Music and sports, as entertainment industries, could not be more different, yet today’s athletes try to bridge that gap and blur the lines. The public isn’t buying.
Whitlock and Dr. Edwards point out to the rookies that if they want to maximize their marketing potential, as well as the marketing potential of the league, then they simply MUST avoid tattoos (among other things). They lay out the history of tattoos in America (not from older cultures, obviously), tracing its popularity in prisons, and extend it to the present.
They do spend some time pointing out to these youngsters that black culture is not the same as prison culture, that hip hop and sports don’t necessarily mix for fans the way that they do for the players, and that, most importantly, to make the most money, they need to appeal to, i.e. CONFORM to, “Mainstream America.”
So, does that mean “more white,” or “less black?”
Monday, August 17th 2009 at 8:55 am |
Incoming NBA players don’t have to follow the image marketing advice of these experts. You don’t have to agree with it either. It’s offered by them as a service, as hopefully helpful advice, to people who haven’t had exposure to that arena before.
I happen to think they’re on to something, because tattoos are somewhat threatening to some people - I suspect a lot of people. If you want to appeal to the largest number of people, you’ll avoid them. But maybe that’s not your (or their) style: maybe they want to embrace their individuality, cultivate a more intimidating presence, use their bodies as canvasses. That’s fine too. Andre Agassi’s hair worked for him, right?
The reason I brought this to this forum was because I thought it was a pretty insightful perspective: that of music and sports having different audiences for different reasons, and the association in some people’s minds between hip hop culture and prison culture. I am not an authority on either hip hop or prison culture, which is why I bring up the comments of people who know more about these things than myself. But I do have an opinion, based on my background and experience, and I think the panelists are dead on with much of their advice.
Your last sentiment is probably true. It’s an idea, not a reality. Kind of like a world without racism. The problem with groupings and generalizations and ideals is that they always fail to consider that groups are composed of flawed individuals, people who think and judge and act based on stereotypes of skin color (be it natural-born or altered with ink), thereby setting impossibly high and unrealistic standards to which many of us aspire. I try to be color blind, I don’t fear the tattoo, I love the NBA, and I say what I mean. When I receive forwarded emails from people whom I’ve been friends with for years and years that are racist even though the sender claims not to be, I tell them not to send that stuff to me anymore. It’s uncomfortable (for them) to be called out that way, but if one just sits idly by and passively receives those messages for fear of offending a friend, doesn’t the condoning of that action make one just as guilty as the sender?
But that’s just me. One flawed drop of water who helps make up the ocean that is Mainstream America.
Sunday, August 16th 2009 at 4:02 pm |
1. Please provide statistics regarding the number of fans that give a “darn” about pro athletes with tattoos. Jordan and Irvin played ages ago - that was then, this is now, so those two examples are not current. The “Birdman” of the Denver Nuggets has a mowhawk and is covered in tattoos. He’s one of their most popular players.
2. Teams are still successful because no one gives a shit about tattoos and or what kind of music someone listens to. By that rationale - if all of the players were clean cut and listened to Kenny Chesney that’d be ok? Puh-lease. Call a spade a spade and say what you mean.
3. You misunderstand - the NHL does OK but most of their players don’t have tattoos or listen to Black music. By your rationale, bible thumpers should be flocking to the whole sport. Why don’t they? Because they’re too busy ogling Black college and pro athletes…so long as they stay on the field.
4. Actually they do not sound well-informed at all and neither do you.
Your last question is loaded. There is no such thing as mainstream america. There never has been.
Sunday, August 16th 2009 at 2:43 pm |
There is some validity to some of what they say.
For instance, tattoos are scary to a sheltered portion of the “mainstream” of the country. Rightly or wrongly, they just are.
To your points:
1. America does not watch the NFL and NBA because the athletes have tattoos; they watch IN SPITE of them. And yes, many fans do give a darn, despite the checking that you performed. Lebron James, Kenyon Martin, and Alan Iverson will never, ever approach the level of merchandise sales of Michael Jordan’s shoes. Michael Jordan, as well as Michael Irvin, understand what sales to mainstream America, and Michael Irvin counsels young players to lose the long hair and be clean cut. Shouldn’t be about the hair, or the body art; should be about the skills and about the focus on the game.
2. Monopolies. Greatest athletes on the planet. That’s why.
3. The NHL doesn’t flounder because of a lack of hip hop. There are countless reasons, but lack of tattoos is not one of them.
4. They sounded fairly well-informed on the history of tattoos in America, post-WWII returning soldiers. And although I grant that tattoos are far more acceptable and prevalent than they once were, I wouldn’t consider them mainstream by any stretch.
As I said, I don’t agree with every point, but there are some valid ones, and they do beg the question: do we all combine in a true melting pot called Mainstream, or is Mainstream simply the assimilation of other cultures and colors into middle, white America?
Sunday, August 16th 2009 at 1:35 pm |
So…what, are you in agreement with these idiotic statements or not?
1. If mainstream American does not enjoy watching athletes with tats then what the hell is the NFL and NBA? Every other player is sleeved and last time I checked, fans didn’t gave a shit.
2. If the public isn’t buying then how do teams that have rosters full of players keep selling out their stadiums and selling merchandise? Not to mention how does NFL Sunday ticket stay in business if no one is buying because some of these guys like hip-hop?
3. The NHL. Not a lot of tattoos. Not a lot of hip hop. Very low popularity. How do they explain that “anomaly”?
4. These guys know NOTHING about the history of tattoos or American tat culture. If they did they would realize that tattoos today are MAINSTREAM. D’oh!