Wednesday, February 08, 2006
The morning after
A good night's sleep (thanks Lindsay -- nice to see you recovered from that tummy thing!) did NOT do wonders for my anti-Dook disposition.
Follow-up to last night's near-final comment on JJ Redick's three-point shot hand gesture -- it looked to me like it's The Shocker (careful -- adult content to follow). Not a very family-friendly gesture, but I'm sure nothing will be said about it because to highlight such a perverse things would be to 1) bring more attention to it; and 2) bring potential dishonor to the Goddamn High and Mighty Dook Blue Devils and JJ Redick Who Can Do No Wrong in the Eyes of Most Media People.
(Update, 11:20 a.m.: some validation: http://www.deadspin.com/sports/college-basketball/jj-redick-has-one-in-the-stink-153506.php)
I guess I'm looking for something to focus on -- even as trivial as a hand gesture -- to take my mind off the roller-coaster ride that ended in disappointment.
Why do we Tar Heel fans make so much of this rivalry? Why do we tie up so much emotion and energy? I think having passion in your life is a good thing, in the right doses. It's acceptable to get excited if "your team" wins and to follow their ups and downs with interest and to purchase a few items of clothing to show your loyalties. Tattoos -- not my style. Passion is good -- it keeps us connected with life and interested in what's happening outside our own heads and cubicles. If you care that a 6-5, 325-lb high school kid who is good at pushing other kids around a football field is signing with Clemson, fine by me. Now, if you take that passion and direct it with malice toward others, that's where I draw the line. Me railing about JJ Redick's push-offs that don't get called and his sly randy hand gestures is basically harmless. Me cursing at and verbally abusing Dook fans just because they are Dook fans -- I've gone too far.
Same goes for the cartoon situation in Europe, no? Can't Muslims passionately protect the sacred image of Mohammed without resorting to violence?
From the Shocker to Mohammed in one post. Strange.
Follow-up to last night's near-final comment on JJ Redick's three-point shot hand gesture -- it looked to me like it's The Shocker (careful -- adult content to follow). Not a very family-friendly gesture, but I'm sure nothing will be said about it because to highlight such a perverse things would be to 1) bring more attention to it; and 2) bring potential dishonor to the Goddamn High and Mighty Dook Blue Devils and JJ Redick Who Can Do No Wrong in the Eyes of Most Media People.
(Update, 11:20 a.m.: some validation: http://www.deadspin.com/sports/college-basketball/jj-redick-has-one-in-the-stink-153506.php)
I guess I'm looking for something to focus on -- even as trivial as a hand gesture -- to take my mind off the roller-coaster ride that ended in disappointment.
Why do we Tar Heel fans make so much of this rivalry? Why do we tie up so much emotion and energy? I think having passion in your life is a good thing, in the right doses. It's acceptable to get excited if "your team" wins and to follow their ups and downs with interest and to purchase a few items of clothing to show your loyalties. Tattoos -- not my style. Passion is good -- it keeps us connected with life and interested in what's happening outside our own heads and cubicles. If you care that a 6-5, 325-lb high school kid who is good at pushing other kids around a football field is signing with Clemson, fine by me. Now, if you take that passion and direct it with malice toward others, that's where I draw the line. Me railing about JJ Redick's push-offs that don't get called and his sly randy hand gestures is basically harmless. Me cursing at and verbally abusing Dook fans just because they are Dook fans -- I've gone too far.
Same goes for the cartoon situation in Europe, no? Can't Muslims passionately protect the sacred image of Mohammed without resorting to violence?
From the Shocker to Mohammed in one post. Strange.
// posted by Bill @ 8:30 AM 
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JJ's hand gesture is rendered comically ludicrous when one considers his upbringing. He went to Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Virginia, which was in the same conference as my high school, Franklin County HS (hicksville high). Cave Spring was where all the white rich kids went. (I don't think I need to comment on his current classmates' socioeconomic status.) They lived in huge, ivy-covered houses and their fathers showed up at our ninth-grade games against them in coats and ties, having ducked out of their stock-broker and investment-banker jobs early to catch the second half of their boys' games. (My team's fathers were as likely to be in overalls as not, that is if they showed up at all, which mine didn't.) I damn near spit out my beer when JJ made his stupid hand gesture. He's about as gangsta as George W. Bush. Yes, he's a great player, but that was one of the dumbest things I've ever seen.
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# posted by 
: 1:29 PM
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