Quote:The NBA’s China controversy continues to grow as the basketball organization has now canceled media access to players while they are visiting the communist nation.

On Friday, the NBA released a statement saying that allowing press to continue to ask questions put players in a “complicated” and “unfair” position.

“They [the teams] have been placed into a complicated and unprecedented situation while abroad and we believe it would be unfair to ask them to address these matters in real time,” the statement said, according to CNN.

NBA teams are currently in China to compete for Chinese fans. On Thursday, CNN reporter Christina Macfarlane attempted to ask players James Harden and Russell Westbrook about Chinese censorship. The Daily Wire’s Amanda Prestigiacomo reported that as Macfarlane asked her question, her microphone was taken away and she was scolded by a team representative.

“The NBA has always been a league that prides itself on allowing its players and coaches being able to speak out openly about political and societal affairs. I just wonder after the events of this week, and the fallout we’ve seen, whether you’d both feel differently about speaking out in that way in the future,” Macfarlane asked before she was chided.

“Um, excuse me, we’re taking basketball questions only,” a team representative said.

Macfarlane pushed back, saying: “It’s a legitimate question. This is an event that’s happened this week during the NBA.”

Later that day, NBA spokesman Mike Bass apologized for what happened to Macfarlane.

“During today’s Houston Rockets media availability, a team representative inappropriately interjected to prevent CNN’s Christina Macfarlane from receiving an answer to her question. We’ve apologized to Ms. Macfarlane as this was inconsistent with how the NBA conducts media event,” the statement said.

The NBA’s woes began after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong protesters. Afterwards, Bass released a statement from the NBA denouncing Morey’s tweet and saying it “does not represent the Rockets or the NBA.” Morey later apologized for his comments and deleted his tweet.

The response from the NBA predictably led to a backlash. Fans began brining pro-Hong Kong posters to games, but officials confiscated their signs. As Prestigiacomo reported, a husband and wife attending a preseason NBA game in Philadelphia were kicked out of the stadium after first having their pro-Hong Kong signs confiscated. The husband then shouted “Free Hong Kong” during the game and the couple was removed. The next night, a group wearing “Free Hong Kong” T-shirts in Washington, D.C. had their signs removed as well.

The Ringer reported that the NBA took its swift action following Morey’s statement because the Chinese Basketball Association threatened to sever ties with the Houston Rockets. China provides a lot of money to the NBA, so now Morey’s employment is in jeopardy. Bass’ full statement regarding Morey’s comments said:

We recognize that the views expressed by Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey have deeply offended many of our friends and fans in China, which is regrettable. While Daryl has made it clear that his tweet does not represent the Rockets or the NBA, the values of the league support individuals’ educating themselves and sharing their views on matters important to them. We have great respect for the history and culture of China and hope that sports and the NBA can be used as a unifying force to bridge cultural divides and bring people together.

Link

Here is video of a protester being ejected at an NBA game for a pro-Hong Kong sign and yell --- the ejection eerily occurring as the Star Spangled Banner plays.

(10-13-2019 07:10 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  Here is video of a protester being ejected at an NBA game for a pro-Hong Kong sign and yell --- the ejection eerily occurring as the Star Spangled Banner plays.

He should have knelt with his sign. He'd be a hero.

(10-13-2019 07:24 PM)shere khan Wrote:  

(10-13-2019 07:10 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  Here is video of a protester being ejected at an NBA game for a pro-Hong Kong sign and yell --- the ejection eerily occurring as the Star Spangled Banner plays.

He should have knelt with his sign. He'd be a hero.

He's probably in a Chinese jail by now.

(10-12-2019 12:49 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  Bass’ full statement regarding Morey’s comments said:

We recognize that the views expressed by Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey have deeply offended many of our friends and fans in China, which is regrettable. While Daryl has made it clear that his tweet does not represent the Rockets or the NBA, the values of the league support individuals’ educating themselves and sharing their views on matters important to them. We have great respect for the history and culture of China and hope that sports and the NBA can be used as a unifying force to bridge cultural divides and bring people together.

[/quote]

Am I reading this correctly? The league supports Morey? Um no, they certainly do not! And now people in our country are standing up for this issue and being shut down in our own country.... Money money money........


I gotta tell you - I really thought Laura Ingraham's "Shut up and Dribble"
comment was stupid. I don't think so anymore.

I am strongly of the belief that sports and politics should be kept completely separate; I also think that anyone should be allowed to express their opinions as well however...

This is where those two streams cross. What do you want? Money or Freedom, clearly you cannot have both as was just proven by the NBA. The league better make up its mind pretty quickly and so should the players.... It is beyond clear that MONEY drives this bus.

I always like Steve Kerr, i think he is a pretty smart coach, he handles the media pretty well, and I could care less about his politics which is very anti-Trump. Now however, after his "I don't know enough about what is going on comment" he can kiss my lilly-white arse. Especially after he doubled down last week on Trump after his head in the china sand comments.... F-ing hypocrite...

(10-14-2019 06:59 AM)TigerBlue4Ever Wrote:  

(10-13-2019 07:24 PM)shere khan Wrote:  

(10-13-2019 07:10 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  Here is video of a protester being ejected at an NBA game for a pro-Hong Kong sign and yell --- the ejection eerily occurring as the Star Spangled Banner plays.

He should have knelt with his sign. He'd be a hero.

He's probably in a Chinese river by now.

FIFY

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opini...fying-them

"...Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to be working. The American Left is no warmer to China's strong-arm efforts than is the American Right. American liberals who cheered the political activism of NBA celebrities are now audibly lamenting their silence, and good for them.


There's plenty of reason to worry that parts of the American Left are abandoning the principles of pluralism, tolerance, and free speech. Here's hoping that some censorious intolerance from China is stirring up these old principles and putting the liber- back into American liberals."

Think the writer is unduly optomistic. The left is very transactional. If President Trump supports a war, the left opposes it. If he opposes war, they support it. And the leftists in the NBA, Google and Apple are fine with helping Chinese oppress their own people.

My bet is the Chinese govt has forced the NBA to ban media access. It's already been reported that the govt cancelled the commisioners remarks and some players remarks following a recent game.

They have just bungled this badly.

You say something like, "Morey's remarks reflect only his personal opinion and do not reflect the position of the NBA or Houston Rockets. We are sorry that many of our Chinese fans were offended by his remarks. He did not understand the culture and sensitivities of China. We would hope that our friends in China would better understand our culture and sensitivities. Freedom of speech is a fundamental principal. Each individual speaks for themselves and not their organization or country."

(10-16-2019 08:28 AM)bullet Wrote:  They have just bungled this badly.
You say something like, "Morey's remarks reflect only his personal opinion and do not reflect the position of the NBA or Houston Rockets. We are sorry that many of our Chinese fans were offended by his remarks. He did not understand the culture and sensitivities of China. We would hope that our friends in China would better understand our culture and sensitivities. Freedom of speech is a fundamental principal. Each individual speaks for themselves and not their organization or country."

What you actually need to do is to tell Xi privately and frankly, "Look we both know that your county can't survive without Middle East oil. And we both know that you don't have a navy that is capable of protecting your oil supply chain. And we both know that therefore your survival totally depends on the US Navy to protect that supply chain. So here's the deal, you back off on Hong Kong and we will continue to protect your oil supply chain--for now. But don't piss us off."

(10-16-2019 08:50 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  What [the US] actually need to do is to tell Xi privately and frankly, "Look we both know that your county can't survive without Middle East oil. And we both know that you don't have a navy that is capable of protecting your oil supply chain. And we both know that therefore your survival totally depends on the US Navy to protect that supply chain. So here's the deal, you back off on Hong Kong and we will continue to protect your oil supply chain--for now. But don't piss us off."

Why do you suppose no American President has ever said that?

(10-16-2019 09:11 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(10-16-2019 08:50 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  What [the US] actually need to do is to tell Xi privately and frankly, "Look we both know that your county can't survive without Middle East oil. And we both know that you don't have a navy that is capable of protecting your oil supply chain. And we both know that therefore your survival totally depends on the US Navy to protect that supply chain. So here's the deal, you back off on Hong Kong and we will continue to protect your oil supply chain--for now. But don't piss us off."

Why do you suppose no American President has ever said that?

Because none had the guts to do so. Plus, so many in the defense establishment have fallen in love with our world policeman role.

I've seen many people suggest that the NBA is the one organization that could actually stand up to China and win.

There's Chinese alternatives to Apple. There's Chinese alternatives to Google. What's the Chinese alternative to the NBA?

The NBA is extremely popular in China. It's the 2nd biggest market for NBA licensed gear sales. Mainland China has a lot of hypernationalists, but how many of them like James Harden or Lebron James better than Xi Jinping? My guess is a lot.

Let me phrase the question a different way - how many Americans like Albert Pujols, Patrick Ewing, or Steve Nash better than their favorite national politician? Sure, some people will turn their back on the NBA. But many more Chinese will continue to love the NBA even if the NBA speaks out against the Communist Party, and the Commies in charge know it. Even many Communist Party members are NBA fans, too.

The NBA could change hearts and minds in a way that no other organization could. Long-term, the NBA would reap huge benefits if they actually stood their ground on this issue - they would be even more beloved by America and by freedom lovers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, and throughout the world.

(10-16-2019 09:43 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  I've seen many people suggest that the NBA is the one organization that could actually stand up to China and win.

There's Chinese alternatives to Apple. There's Chinese alternatives to Google. What's the Chinese alternative to the NBA?

The NBA is extremely popular in China. It's the 2nd biggest market for NBA licensed gear sales. Mainland China has a lot of hypernationalists, but how many of them like James Harden or Lebron James better than Xi Jinping? My guess is a lot.

Let me phrase the question a different way - how many Americans like Albert Pujols, Patrick Ewing, or Steve Nash better than their favorite national politician? Sure, some people will turn their back on the NBA. But many more Chinese will continue to love the NBA even if the NBA speaks out against the Communist Party, and the Commies in charge know it. Even many Communist Party members are NBA fans, too.

The NBA could change hearts and minds in a way that no other organization could. Long-term, the NBA would reap huge benefits if they actually stood their ground on this issue - they would be even more beloved by America and by freedom lovers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, and throughout the world.

Hong Kong residents are people too.

Seems fitting that commies would love basketball.