Thursday, October 09, 2008

TIMEOUT: Josh Howard just doesn’t get it

According to the Dallas Morning News and, likely, a Yahoo headline in my habit of not regularly checking the Dallas Morning News, Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team had an incident over the summer regarding this country’s national anthem.

Howard was at a charity flag football game of fellow NBAer, Allen Iverson. At the event, during the National Anthem, Howard says - to a camera, at that - “The Star-Spangled Banner is going on,” adding that he doesn’t celebrate the song because he’s black. And, let’s just say, he didn’t use the term ‘song,’ but a replacement word that only comes up in internet stories as: [expletive].

With the presence of a camera, of course the classless bit ended up on YouTube.

I don’t get it. There are so many indiscretions about the whole thing, it makes me thrilled I never slap down way too much money for an NBA ticket. The only good thing about anything that happened was that NBAers were having a charity event. Good on them. From there, though, it all goes downhill.

I couldn’t believe it when I read more of the story. I thought maybe the player was from Croatia or China or some other country with players in the NBA when I read the headline that an NBA player ‘disses’ the anthem. I assumed he was showing his preference - and his while-in-America freedom - to support another country’s anthem, especially at a summer barbecue.

His claim he doesn’t owe the Anthem any respect because he’s black is completely insane. I don’t care if you are a one-eyed, one-horned flying, purple, people-eater or have fuchsia skin. If you are a citizen of this country, or an overpaid and overprivileged player in one of its major league sports teams, I think that comes with a modicum of respect for this country’s national song and its ideals. If you don’t want to respect the song, preferably with your right hand over your heart and a tear in your eye as you mouth the words, then, there are other places that would love to welcome you into their non-mansion-lifestyle country. Go there.
Seriously. Let me help you research the plane ticket.

Then, I learned why Howard chose to disrespect the Anthem, what it stands for and, ultimately, the very same country that has allowed him to become an overpaid, spoiled rotten sports superstar (in his own mind, of course) with a lifestyle that likely comes with a fleet of cars and mansions the average ticket-buyer can’t even afford to dream about.

Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban said the team has dealt with Howard’s unpatriotic gaffe, touting the team’s advanced communication-skill sessions expected to be incorporated into its training camp. I’m certain that PowerPoint presentation really hit home and just worked wonders in all of the players’ psyches.

“Josh really is a good guy with a great heart,” Cuban said. “He just doesn’t do a good job of showing that side of himself publicly. We will work on that.” Oh. Please. You must be joking. How can an NBA big wig like Cuban actually justify that statement when, in reality, Cuban and his front office should be considering a multi-game suspension WITHOUT PAY for not having dignity, even off-the-court.

Howard even back-pedaled after he realized the possible repercussions of him being a loud-mouth, obnoxious, unappreciative whiner by saying that at every NBA game, his hand is over his heart when he’s on the hardwood and the pre-game, obligatory song plays.

Really? How stinking noble of you, you overpaid, loud-mouthed, obnoxious, unappreciative whiner! By all means - resign yourself to the bench, or, better yet, the
locker room or parking lot or mansion instead of playing for an American team that got you to where you are today.