| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
johnjohnW
Joined: 11 Aug 2020
Posts: 1833
Back to top |
|
pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
Posts: 66880
Location: Where the action is
Back to top |
 Posted: 12/06/20 9:08 pm ::: |
Reply  |
|
| I find Stewart a curious choice
_________________
I'm a lonely frog
I ain't got a home
|
|
johnjohnW
Joined: 11 Aug 2020
Posts: 1833
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/06/20 9:23 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| pilight wrote: |
| I find Stewart a curious choice |
I didn't want to be the one to say it, but SI missed the mark here. The whole point of the WNBA's social justice campaign this season was to bring awareness to the institutional racism faced by black women and to amplify the voices of black women...and SI chose to spotlight a white player.
Stewart has been an excellent ally and activist and nothing against her getting recognition for that but SI bungled this one.
|
|
Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 5065
Location: New York City
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/07/20 12:26 am ::: |
Reply |
|
Of course it was right to select a WNBA player as one of the five honorees. And I intend nothing against Ms. Stewart, who is completely admirable both as an athlete and as an activist.
Sports Illustrated obviously wanted to have a white woman among the five honorees rather than having too many Black or mixed-race athletes on that list. Additional benefit for SI: Breanna Stewart is a bigger, better-known star than various African American players in the WNBA who could have been named. This is traditional, sickening corporate marketing governing decisions. It's not about who most deserves honors, even honors for outstanding political activism. It's about who will sell more magazines.
Again, to be as clear as possible, I have nothing but respect for Breanna Stewart. She deserves lots of honors. But a Black woman should have been honored for the WNBA's remarkable, unprecedented dedication of an entire season to "Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor." johnjohnw has that exactly right.
_________________
Remember Roe v. Wade. Work for and support legal abortion all over the world and full reproductive rights for everyone.
|
|
Richard 77
Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 4140
Location: Lake Mills, Wisconsin
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/07/20 4:51 am ::: Re: Stewart Among 5 Selected by SI for SOTY |
Reply |
|
| johnjohnW wrote: |
https://www.syracuse.com/sports/2020/12/breanna-stewart-an-activist-athlete-named-to-symbolize-sports-illustrated-sportsperson-of-year.html
Breanna Stewart on of 5 athletes selected to represent the Activist Athlete as Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year. |
Congratulations Breanna!_________________ If you cannot inspire yourself to read a book about women's basketball, or any book about women's sports, you cannot inspire any young girl or boy to write a book about them. http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Richardstrek |
|
FrozenLVFan
Joined: 08 Jul 2014
Posts: 3510
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/07/20 12:36 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| If the emphasis is on "Sportsperson" who happens to be an activist, then Stewart is a fine choice. If they were trying to recognize an activist in the WNBA who is an exceptional sportsperson, there are better options.
|
|
IM in OC
Joined: 25 Mar 2009
Posts: 999
Location: Orange County, CA
Back to top |
|
Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 5065
Location: New York City
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/07/20 1:39 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
Thanks for sharing these powerful tweets from Imani McGee-Stafford. I agree with every word she wrote.
_________________
Remember Roe v. Wade. Work for and support legal abortion all over the world and full reproductive rights for everyone.
|
|
FrozenLVFan
Joined: 08 Jul 2014
Posts: 3510
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/07/20 1:59 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| Bob Lamm wrote: |
Thanks for sharing these powerful tweets from Imani McGee-Stafford. I agree with every word she wrote. |
One of the tweets further down says the entire league should get the award. I would strongly agree with that.
|
|
Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 5065
Location: New York City
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/07/20 2:47 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| FrozenLVFan wrote: |
| One of the tweets further down says the entire league should get the award. I would strongly agree with that. |
That would have been great. To my knowledge, this is the first time in any professional sport anywhere where an entire league has dedicated an entire season to ANY issue of social justice. Every player, coach, staff member, and executive in the league who was part of this should be proud.
_________________
Remember Roe v. Wade. Work for and support legal abortion all over the world and full reproductive rights for everyone.
|
|
pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
Posts: 66880
Location: Where the action is
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/08/20 4:48 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
Who Gets The Magazine Cover?
https://defector.com/who-gets-the-magazine-cover/
| Quote: |
| Sports Illustrated pretends to play along, but its true message is some new, ironic inversion of “Shut up and dribble.” It is “Dribble, and then you can talk.” |
_________________
I'm a lonely frog
I ain't got a home
|
|
GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
Posts: 8225
Location: Heisenberg
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/10/20 11:50 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
I haven't paid attention to SI's Sportsperson of the Year for decades, especially after they began naming multiple winners.
Nonetheless, I don't understand the criticism of Stewart being one of the five SOTY's, given what SI clearly stated their criteria to be this year. They first looked at athletes who won championships in their sports in 2020, and then picked five individuals who they conceived to be the best "activist athletes" on their championship teams or, for tennis, league.
Here is how SI explains their selections in the SOTY article:
| Quote: |
| And so our Sportsperson of the Year award goes to five men and women who in 2020 were champions in every sense of the word: champions on the field, champions for others off it. Patrick Mahomes, the Super Bowl MVP who used his platform as the NFL’s transcendent star to push the league to recognize the Black Lives Matter movement and players’ rights to protest. Naomi Osaka, the U.S. Open tennis champion who embraced her fame and found her voice in the fight against social injustice. Breanna Stewart, who returned from a devastating injury to lead her team to the WNBA title and who spoke loudly against racism and for women’s equality. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the Chiefs’ lineman who became a Super Bowl champion and then left the NFL to join the front lines of the battle against COVID-19. And James, who led the Lakers to the NBA title, won his fourth Finals MVP trophy and worked tirelessly to end voter suppression and ensure that in 2020 everyone—especially Black people—had equal access to the polls. |
So, the the honorees had to be, first of all, individuals who were champions in 2020. Saying the entire WNBA, NFL, NBA or tennis association should have won the award is completely contrary to the historical practice of naming a SportsPERSON of the Year.
Fans should be happy that SI even looked at such a niche sport as the WNBA. But when they did, and obviously decided to pick a player from the 2020 league champion Seattle Storm, why isn't Stewart the obvious choice? Who else on that team was a more effective "activist athlete"? I don't really follow such things, but if someone thinks another player on the Storm was more deserving, please name her and make your case with specific details and arguments.
On edit: SI often used to have different covers in different regions of the country. If that's still the practice, I would expect that each of the five 2020 SOTY's may be on the front cover in different places. |
|
Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 21923
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/11/20 1:03 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| So to summarise the thread so far, Stewie is a champion and an activist but her skin is white so she shouldn't have won but we're not saying who should have won.
_________________
Thanks for calling. I wait all night for calls like these.
|
|
mavcarter
#NATC
Joined: 02 Sep 2010
Posts: 5935
Location: Chicago
Back to top |
|
ucbart
Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 2815
Location: New York
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/11/20 8:29 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| FrozenLVFan wrote: |
| Bob Lamm wrote: |
Thanks for sharing these powerful tweets from Imani McGee-Stafford. I agree with every word she wrote. |
One of the tweets further down says the entire league should get the award. I would strongly agree with that. |
No! They shouldn't have. Every other person either won their title as part of a team or in Osaka's case, won everything. This was for a person who won at their sport and won in activism.
The NBA also used their voices, not as much as the W, but still. But, NOBODY is questioning LeBron's choice and saying that the entire league should've won.
Every year the award is about sports, this year they tied in activism because well, woke sells, and they would've been crucified if they didn't. I don't see how anyone other than Stewie won it from the WNBA, expect maybe A'Ja Wilson, the league MVP, but her team got swept and she wasn't even close to the best player in that series.
|
|
ucbart
Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 2815
Location: New York
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/11/20 8:32 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| mavcarter wrote: |
| GlennMacGrady wrote: |
Nonetheless, I don't understand the criticism of Stewart being one of the five SOTY's, given what SI clearly stated their criteria to be this year. They first looked at athletes who won championships in their sports in 2020, and then picked five individuals who they conceived to be the best "activist athletes" on their championship teams or, for tennis, league.
|
Somewhat surprised people didn’t fully read the article to understand why Stewart was chosen. |
Really? You're surprised that in 2020, people didn't read, investigate, and form a decision based on facts? HAAAAAAA . This thread, including praising IMS, is the antithesis of our entire culture now.
|
|
mavcarter
#NATC
Joined: 02 Sep 2010
Posts: 5935
Location: Chicago
Back to top |
|
johnjohnW
Joined: 11 Aug 2020
Posts: 1833
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/11/20 8:07 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| I completely understand why they chose Stewart and think she is a worthy recipient. I just think it's unfortunate that the very activism she is engaged in, is about amplifying the voices of black women and SI felt it was more important to adhere to arbitrary standards rather than choose someone such as Natasha Cloud or Maya Moore. A missed opportunity and I forced error on SIs part.
|
|
Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 5065
Location: New York City
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/11/20 9:34 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| johnjohnW wrote: |
| I completely understand why they chose Stewart and think she is a worthy recipient. I just think it's unfortunate that the very activism she is engaged in, is about amplifying the voices of black women and SI felt it was more important to adhere to arbitrary standards rather than choose someone such as Natasha Cloud or Maya Moore. A missed opportunity and I forced error on SIs part. |
Completely agree. Is the arbitrary qualifying standard of athletes who won championships in 2020 more important than the standard of who best represents the Activist Athlete? Not to me it isn't.
Just to continue being as clear as possible, I mean nothing against Breanna Stewart. I have complete respect for her as an athlete and as an activist. Nevertheless, Sports Illustrated should have changed their standards a little and honored a Black woman from the WNBA or, even better, the entire WNBA.
_________________
Remember Roe v. Wade. Work for and support legal abortion all over the world and full reproductive rights for everyone.
|
|
pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
Posts: 66880
Location: Where the action is
Back to top |
|
Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 21923
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/11/20 9:56 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
Being an actual champion seems far from arbitrary to me in a Sportsperson of the Year award. On the contrary it seems like a very logical first place to start looking.
Kudos to johnjohnW for actually nominating some alternatives though instead of just complaining about the winner.
_________________
Thanks for calling. I wait all night for calls like these.
|
|
johnjohnW
Joined: 11 Aug 2020
Posts: 1833
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/11/20 11:58 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| To be fair, being a champion isn't arbitrary but why limit yourself when honoring activists? Like what does being a champion have to do with being an activist? It seems like an unnecessary requirement. Colin Kapernick isn't a champion and honestly, despite his campaigning, isn't really cut out to be an NFL starter anymore, but he is most definitely the most important athlete activist of the last few years.
|
|
tfan
Joined: 31 May 2010
Posts: 9602
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/12/20 2:23 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| johnjohnW wrote: |
I didn't want to be the one to say it, but SI missed the mark here. The whole point of the WNBA's social justice campaign this season was to bring awareness to the institutional racism faced by black women and to amplify the voices of black women...and SI chose to spotlight a white player. |
I think the NBA, WNBA, and Black Lives Matter should have a broader focus, dealing with the economic situation of black people in the parts of American metro areas that have been called "the inner city" for at least 55 years. One that talks about income levels and employment, not just interactions with the police. And discussing how to improve that (which would require fighting the policies of the donor class). But it doesn't appear that the WNBA had the broad focus that you stated. However, they did add "racial violence against women and girls" in a news release, in addition o police interactions and killings of black people.
WNBA dedicates 2020 season to social justice, announces creation of Social Justice Counci
| Quote: |
During the season, which is scheduled to begin later this month at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, players will wear special uniforms to seek justice for women and girls, such as Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor and Vanessa Guillen, who "have been the forgotten victims of police brutality and racial violence," the news release said.
Players also will wear warm-up shirts with "Black Lives Matter" on the front and "Say Her Name" on the back. Like NBA courts for its restart, WNBA courts will have the words "Black Lives Matter" displayed on courts during games. |
WNBA dedicates season to Breonna Taylor and Say Her Name campaign
| Quote: |
| Before the start of its 2020 campaign on Saturday, the WNBA dedicated the season to Breonna Taylor and the Say Her Name movement, which raises awareness for Black female victims of police violence. |
|
|
Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 5065
Location: New York City
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/12/20 10:19 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| johnjohnW wrote: |
| To be fair, being a champion isn't arbitrary but why limit yourself when honoring activists? Like what does being a champion have to do with being an activist? It seems like an unnecessary requirement. Colin Kapernick isn't a champion and honestly, despite his campaigning, isn't really cut out to be an NFL starter anymore, but he is most definitely the most important athlete activist of the last few years. |
Thanks. Well said.
_________________
Remember Roe v. Wade. Work for and support legal abortion all over the world and full reproductive rights for everyone.
|
|
ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
Posts: 11132
Back to top |
| Posted: 12/12/20 11:45 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| The idea that elite athletes are somehow doing more for movements of any sort than the dedicated volunteers and staff that have in the trenches for years annoys me. It's fine to honor the athletes, I guess, but why not pair them with somebody who's done real work?
_________________
Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā
|
|
|
|
