Kblaze8855
09-22-2019, 03:55 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woZham-kFnI
^
All you need to know about him. He did that and little else. After meeting president Bush he never made it back to the league and claimed he was being blackballed. He talked some shit about Jordan and others not doing enough in the community and all. May have been in with the 5% nation and all....
ON this day especially, the notions of free speech and fair play and tolerance toward others have been historically esteemed, or at least been paid lip service.
It seems appropriate then to consider the case of the Federal lawsuit recently filed in Chicago: Craig Hodges vs. the National Basketball Association, in which Hodges said that ''the owners and operators of the 29 N.B.A. member franchises have participated as co-conspirators'' in ''blackballing'' Hodges from the league ''because of his outspoken political nature as an African-American man.''
In 1992, after 10 seasons in the N.B.A., Craig Hodges, at age 32, was not re-signed by the team he had played with for the previous four seasons, the Chicago Bulls, who had just won their second straight championship. Hodges had been a backup shooting guard for the Bulls, and was still considered one of the better 3-point shooters in the league.
When the team went to the White House after an invitation from President Bush, Hodges wore a dashiki, and handed the President a letter that asked him to do more to end injustice toward the African-American community.
The lawsuit alleges that the incident embarrassed the N.B.A. It alleges that Hodges's work to curb ''the breakdown of the African-American family'' with Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam was also seen as inimical by the N.B.A. As was Hodges's public criticism of ''African-American professional athletes who failed to use their considerable wealth and influence to assist the poor and disenfranchised.''
Hodges, meanwhile, was fired two weeks ago as the head coach at Chicago State University, as he seemed to be giving more time to his lawsuit and community affairs than to campus duties while his team went 8-51 in a little more than two seasons.
''After the 1992 season,'' Hodges said, ''I or my agent had called every team in the N.B.A. and not one would even give me a tryout, let alone sign me.''
The Bulls didn't re-sign him, according to one team official who asked for anonymity, ''because he was on his last legs as a player.''
''He couldn't guard a post,'' the official said, ''and everyone knew it.'' In his last season for the Bulls, Hodges played in only 53 of the team's 82 regular-season games. The Bulls signed Trent Tucker, a better defender than Hodges and a higher percentage 3-point shooter.
''I thought we improved ourselves there,'' said Phil Jackson, the Bulls' coach. ''I had the highest regard for Craig, though. He was a great team player, never caused any problems and I respected his views. I'm a spiritual man, and so is he. But I also found it strange that not a single team called to inquire about him. Usually, I get at least one call about a player we've decided not to sign. And yes, he couldn't play much defense, but a lot of guys in the league can't, but not many can shoot from his range, either.''
In the lawsuit, Billy McKinney, the director of player personnel for the SuperSonics, who is black, is quoted as having first voiced interest in Hodges in 1992, and then shortly after backing away, telling Hodges he could do nothing because ''brothers have families, if you know what I mean.''
Contacted recently, McKinney passed on a message: ''No comment.''
''I never heard of any conspiracy whatsoever,'' said Wayne Embry, the president and chief operating officer of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who is also black. ''I'm sure I would have if there was one. And in a league that has about 80 percent black players, it's hard to charge racism.''
David Stern, the commissioner of the N.B.A., said that the idea of a conspiracy against Hodges is ''ridiculous.'' ''I was even at the White House when Craig wore the dashiki,'' he said. ''I thought it looked great, and I told him so.''
Perhaps more real than the allegations is the perception of discrimination, especially among some N.B.A. personnel. ''It's well known through the league that there may be repercussions if you speak out too strongly on some sensitive issues,'' said Buck Williams, a forward for the Knicks and the respected head of the players association. ''I don't know if Hodges lost his job because of it, but it is a burden when you carry the militant label he has.''
He probably was blackballed considering nobody would give him a tryout and he was among the best spot up shooters ever at the time....
That said...if he was in the 5% nation he probably was a jackass to some degree.
^
All you need to know about him. He did that and little else. After meeting president Bush he never made it back to the league and claimed he was being blackballed. He talked some shit about Jordan and others not doing enough in the community and all. May have been in with the 5% nation and all....
ON this day especially, the notions of free speech and fair play and tolerance toward others have been historically esteemed, or at least been paid lip service.
It seems appropriate then to consider the case of the Federal lawsuit recently filed in Chicago: Craig Hodges vs. the National Basketball Association, in which Hodges said that ''the owners and operators of the 29 N.B.A. member franchises have participated as co-conspirators'' in ''blackballing'' Hodges from the league ''because of his outspoken political nature as an African-American man.''
In 1992, after 10 seasons in the N.B.A., Craig Hodges, at age 32, was not re-signed by the team he had played with for the previous four seasons, the Chicago Bulls, who had just won their second straight championship. Hodges had been a backup shooting guard for the Bulls, and was still considered one of the better 3-point shooters in the league.
When the team went to the White House after an invitation from President Bush, Hodges wore a dashiki, and handed the President a letter that asked him to do more to end injustice toward the African-American community.
The lawsuit alleges that the incident embarrassed the N.B.A. It alleges that Hodges's work to curb ''the breakdown of the African-American family'' with Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam was also seen as inimical by the N.B.A. As was Hodges's public criticism of ''African-American professional athletes who failed to use their considerable wealth and influence to assist the poor and disenfranchised.''
Hodges, meanwhile, was fired two weeks ago as the head coach at Chicago State University, as he seemed to be giving more time to his lawsuit and community affairs than to campus duties while his team went 8-51 in a little more than two seasons.
''After the 1992 season,'' Hodges said, ''I or my agent had called every team in the N.B.A. and not one would even give me a tryout, let alone sign me.''
The Bulls didn't re-sign him, according to one team official who asked for anonymity, ''because he was on his last legs as a player.''
''He couldn't guard a post,'' the official said, ''and everyone knew it.'' In his last season for the Bulls, Hodges played in only 53 of the team's 82 regular-season games. The Bulls signed Trent Tucker, a better defender than Hodges and a higher percentage 3-point shooter.
''I thought we improved ourselves there,'' said Phil Jackson, the Bulls' coach. ''I had the highest regard for Craig, though. He was a great team player, never caused any problems and I respected his views. I'm a spiritual man, and so is he. But I also found it strange that not a single team called to inquire about him. Usually, I get at least one call about a player we've decided not to sign. And yes, he couldn't play much defense, but a lot of guys in the league can't, but not many can shoot from his range, either.''
In the lawsuit, Billy McKinney, the director of player personnel for the SuperSonics, who is black, is quoted as having first voiced interest in Hodges in 1992, and then shortly after backing away, telling Hodges he could do nothing because ''brothers have families, if you know what I mean.''
Contacted recently, McKinney passed on a message: ''No comment.''
''I never heard of any conspiracy whatsoever,'' said Wayne Embry, the president and chief operating officer of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who is also black. ''I'm sure I would have if there was one. And in a league that has about 80 percent black players, it's hard to charge racism.''
David Stern, the commissioner of the N.B.A., said that the idea of a conspiracy against Hodges is ''ridiculous.'' ''I was even at the White House when Craig wore the dashiki,'' he said. ''I thought it looked great, and I told him so.''
Perhaps more real than the allegations is the perception of discrimination, especially among some N.B.A. personnel. ''It's well known through the league that there may be repercussions if you speak out too strongly on some sensitive issues,'' said Buck Williams, a forward for the Knicks and the respected head of the players association. ''I don't know if Hodges lost his job because of it, but it is a burden when you carry the militant label he has.''
He probably was blackballed considering nobody would give him a tryout and he was among the best spot up shooters ever at the time....
That said...if he was in the 5% nation he probably was a jackass to some degree.