Comments on: Bogut on NBA and U.S. Culture

By: Cre8tive Flow » Blog Archive » Why Old Media Still Don’t Get It (Even When They Kinda, Sorta Do!)

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 03:09:59 +0000

[...] to avoid howls of criticsm, for those interested in the conversation on what Bogut said, this article and this (unfortuantely numbered) article are good [...]

By: Geeup

Geeup — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 01:37:34 +0000

As an Australian I can tell you the only reason this got press in Australia was because it looked at Americans in a critical light. Australia has a close bond with America but there are certain values they don’t share with the US and the audaciousness and brashness of US culture is cringe worthy down under.

You don’t have to like it or understand it, but it’s just the way it is.

What seems to have been forgotten in all of this was the quote regarding financial lessons the league gives them. Everyone is focusing on how “hush hush” Bogut should be and what he said was potenitally dangerous subject matter because it could be perceived as racist even. Why? Because some guys have pathetic financial management skills? People seem to conveniently forget the fact Bogut has an insiders perspective. Maybe the “80% go broke” bit was an exaggeration, but it’s not like he’s plucking all of this information out of his behind.

By: dwil

dwil — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 23:37:21 +0000

I just wanted to make sure exactly where the sentiment originated from… As Tim Cowlishaw said later (and I can attest to this having hung out with many Australian tennis players) on Around the Horn (and I paraphrase): it’s the way a lot of Australians think about America. Of course it’s a generalization, but this is how they see our culture. Plus, he was talking to an Australian and New Zealander audience.

IMO, it shouldn’t even be a big deal, unless people want to take out the “American” part and leave the “bling-bling” parts in and the “80% end up broke” hyperbole in or unless what he says about the U.S. leaves people butt-hurt to the point they get all jingoistic and schtuff….

Though other Western countries are Westernized, they retain parts of their past – more often than not, visibly. We, on the other hand, like to wipe our past away with a quickness – and it’s actually pretty sad.

And really, none of us have any idea how many ex-NBA players have money because the average career span of an NBA player is 3 1/2 years ( in 1981). So, say it’s 4 1/2 now. How much cash does a dude end up with at the end of his very brief basketball lifetime?

Not much, I bet…. he might even be close to, if not completely, broke.

By: ericgsatterwhite

ericgsatterwhite — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 22:06:55 +0000

Rick wrote, “Maybe he should spend a little time working on his game…and maybe his lack of success is the real reason for his bitterness.”

I hear you Rick jealousy/eny is a disease that has no cure.

This is not specific to Bogut but all, “player haters.”

Interesting take Rick and response D-Wil.

By: dwil

dwil — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:18:02 +0000

…Oh, and please don’t front like you didn’t, I just watched the show, too.

By: dwil

dwil — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:17:16 +0000

So Rick, you get the, “I can repeat line-for-line from Rome is Burning” award.

By: Rick

Rick — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:12:44 +0000

A guy born in eastern europe, raised in Australia and who has lived in Utah and Milwaukee surely has enough experience and expertise to make broad generalizations about the NBA and America. While I believe that America and Americans have issues, I don’t believe he is the person to make these comments. Maybe he should spend a little time working on his game…and maybe his lack of success is the real reason for his bitterness.

By: Eric G. Satterwhite

Eric G. Satterwhite — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:36:47 +0000

Bogut’s perception is his and his alone. One’s reality is formatted by one’s singular thoughts and do not reflect the whole. Bogut’s former collegiate coach Rick Majerus stated how Bogut had a vision problem that was verified as fact so his view is coming less than 20/20. Bling on NBA players if that’s your choice and at the end of the day it’s truly “To each his own.” Peace…

By: Kinnon Yee

Kinnon Yee — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 17:21:34 +0000

I agree that it’s part of the culture, but whatever those guys want to do, it’s up to them. You can raise your children in an environment where there’s no real “bling” and they can still come out with that mentality. It all comes down to how you raise your children and how you decide to teach them to value money. That’s the part I don’t agree with as far as Bogut is concerned.

I mean, jeeze, Matt Bonner is American, and he’s one of the cheapest guys around. (In a good way). So it takes all kinds. I’m sure if Bogut was with the Raptors, he wouldn’t really have the same perspective, because most of the guys on our team aren’t heavy crazy spenders. It just all comes down to the players, and it’s just kind of a huge generalization.