That's the first thing that ran through my head when I read the title of the story below

http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/8687816

If so, he did it on his terms!

 

The first thing that ran through my head was exactly what the title noted....


White America huh...... [sm=icon_quiet.gif]

You say that as if it's a bad thing....

 

What's ironic about it all is that AI is still AI. He still has the tattoo's, he still has the cornrows, still has the baggy clothes, still has the jewels, still has the crew, is still the same person today that he was when he first came into the league. Yes, he has matured like we all do between 20 and 30, but he hasn't gone from super thug to preacher, he's still the same cat. He wasn't out robbing and shooting people, wasn't selling drugs, wasn't participating in any criminal activities, yet was labeled a thug. So why now is white america giving him the respect and warm welcome?


No, you take it as a bad thing. I just find it ironic that he was shunned by corporate(white)america for so many years due to his look, which is the same today as it was 7-8 years ago. If the hair, the clothes, the jewelry, the crew, the cars and the swagger made him a "thug" then, how has he grown out of that when all is still the same?

 

Money talks I guess, maybe "White America" found a way to capitalize on the marketability of this person.

You stated that he was stereotyped due to his looks. Did he exhibit the same respect as the other players in the game? You'll have to forgive my questions because I do not follow the NBA or any other sport close enough to know the details.


Why is it there are very few owners of color in the NBA? In a sport dominated by players of color I find it interesting there are not more owners or even upper level management of color. Agin, not a shot across the bow, just an eye looking in from the outside.

 

Being one of the most popular players in the sport, I don't think Corporate America was ignorant as to his marketability. They just were scared of his gangsta, his "i'm not gonna change" attitude. They thought he'd break before they did, hahaha, AI-1 Corporate America-0

I don't know the answer to the last question.

 

Is it truely AI-1...


I am sure he has made a very nice deal for him self out of the contract, but, for every million an NBA player is paid, owners/"Corporate America" makes ten or more. Why do you think these guys are paid the kind of $$$$ they are? Which suprizes me that there are not more owners of color. Could you imagine what would happen if they all just said I am not going to play...

 

He's paid nicely by the league, and Reebok has been behind him since day 1 and cemented thier relationship with him a couple years ago when they made him the first athlete to sign a lifetime contract with them. I don't know of any other endorsements he's got, but rest assured, he's not hurtin' a bit.

I don't know why athlete's are paid so much, I guess it boils down to the old supply and demand. When I hear about guys like Terrell Owens complaining that he's only making 4 million a year instead of 8 million, I wish the owners would just stop paying em. There isn't another job in the world he could get making that kind of money. If he didn't like the contract, he shouldn't have signed it. Simple as that. But he did, so honor it and stop whining.