Source: CNN
Thanksgiving is traditionally known as a holiday where folks celebrate their gratitude for life, love, family, friends and so on. But this Thanksgiving there is a wafering stench in the sports world due to the ungratefulness of LaVar Ball. Or, is there?
LaVar Ball’s son, LiAngelo Ball along with two of his UCLA teammates, was arrested for shoplifting while on an international basketball trip to China. LiAngelo was looking at 3-10 years of hard time in a Chinese prison along with his teammates when President Trump supposedly spoke to the Chinese President to aid these 3 young men.
In a press conference, LiAngelo thanked everyone for their help including the United States government and President Trump. Everything should be smooth between everyone, right? No. LaVar Ball made the statement to Chris Cuomo, a CNN journalist, that Trump didn’t shake his hand and there was no need to thank everyone if he didn’t know what they actually did.
At first blush, one can hear the arrogance and anger behind Mr. Ball’s words and attitude. But then, if you listen closely–really closely–one can begin to understand Mr. Ball’s statement. LaVar Ball really isn’t saying he’s ungrateful for the President’s help if he really did help. Ball isn’t sure that the President did help.
Ball has a brash personality that seems to be taken as entitled, but in this case, I think he was misunderstood. Ball is a Black man, and like many other Black men playing professional sports these days he could very well question the validity and righteousness of authority. In other words, he may not trust Trump especially the way Trump appears to attack people of color who disagree with him. The NFL protests are about being disrespected as a minority by government officials (police).
Trump has also been known to make a few bumbling mistakes himself expressing his strong opinions with references to domestic terrorists as “good people” and a lack of response to Puerto Rico. Maybe these two men should approach this situation as water under the bridge and stay in the boat. The lack of trust and respect each has for the other is obvious, and it appears there will not be a resolution to this situation anytime soon.
The other obvious thing is we have all given this situation to much of our time . . . we should just let them know their 15 minutes of fame is up.