Last week, two San Antonio sports-talk hosts thought it would be fun to clown those Thuggets. KTKT-AM's Jeff Vexler and Walter Pasacrita went for the jugular, conducting an interview with a fake Iverson. Sounds harmless enough, right? According to the San Antonio Express-News, these radio professionals pushed it past the limits of decency:
According to people who heard the skit - reportedly written by one of the station's producers - the fake Iverson said he and Carmelo Anthony had given the Spurs something from their "special stash" to make them lethargic in Game 1. The phony interview also included the Iverson impersonator firing a gun and hitting a homeless person.Yeah guys, that's totally okay in 2007. Here's where things get interesting: KTKT hosts Popovich's weekly program. Vexler and Pasacrita are involved in the pre- and postgame festivities. And both are credentialed for all games. So in this post-Imus world, the Spurs had to move fast to save face. Which they did, pulling Pop's show and removing the two miscreants for their official broadcast-ishy duties. For some reason, though, Vexler and Pasacrita have been allowed to keep their credentials.
The victim in this case summed things up best himself, saying that "It shows what type of class (the Spurs) have as an organization (for canceling Popovich's show). And for the guys that did that, it shows what type of class they got." I totally agree. Say what you will about the Spurs, but they're not afraid to do the right thing. Even if it means standing a stand against their own fan culture. Now if only they'd lose as part of the deal.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
We need another article about the Warriors and their game four triumph, Free Darko style, Mr. Shoals. Thanks in advance!
I don't know where you got you information from, but Vexler and Pasacrita both lost their press credentials as a result of their humorless, offensive skit. And nice shot at the "fan culture" of the Spurs who obviously support klan rallies and target minorites in their attempt to bring humor into their lives by listening to horrible radio skits. It's their fault these two idiots decided to unfairly target certain players on the Nuggets. Shame on you San Antoniio, you bastion of insensitivity. Instead of rooting for San Antonio to lose, you should root for a team that wins.
So, I'll take this oppurtunity to announce my idoicy. Apparantly, these jackasses have been given their credentials back by their employer over whom the Spurs have no power.
The victim here? They made jokes about him no crime was committed but of course the victim culture affects some people..The thought police have a new recruit with the last name Shoals..Seig Heil,Bethy
Yeah guys, that's totally okay in 2007
You mean 1984 don't ya...Beat and his hypocrisy will be along soon so you will have company in your PC reeducation camp.Orwell will be speaking soon and Al $harpton will be along for his 15 shortly
god what a joke people need to get a life this country is going to hell when you cant make fun of anyone without everyone getting their pantis in a wad and imus got screwed for telling the truth
I'm pretty sure it was an inside message to the 5 million illegal mexicans living in San Antonio,from Iverson that he's runnin'low!!
It would be nice if this problem were merely the fan culture of a particular team, especially a team with as much dignity and class as the Spurs. But sadly, the culture in question is broader than that. AI has been unfairly targeted as a thug for years. I think there are 2 reasons for this: (1) the 76ers, even under Brown, relied very heavily on his superlative offensive skills, leading to a misperception that he is defiantly selfish, and (2) he was one of the 1st players to go for the tatoo and corn-rows look. While the former is forgivable as a substantive (though, I think, misguided) critique, the latter is racist stereotyping borne of fear and ignorance. As a die-hard Spurs fan, let me acknowledge what others should have realized by now: Allen Iverson is a good guy and deserves better. In the case of this tasteless skit by Vexler and Pascarita, I can only suspect that the motivation for such a lapse in judgement had to do with the emotionalism of the competition. This psycholocial issue of emotion is the one way in which the fans and media participate in the game directly and not just vicariously, and as such they must be held accountable for their speech and actions. Perhaps Denver's unfair gripe with foreign-born Ginobili (an exemplary human being whose competitive hustle is comparable to Iverson) is a factor in fueling the fan rivalry in this series. But the portrayal of Iverson as an armed womanizing drug addict is an unfair and unforgivable mistake. Like Imus, these 2 guys' intentions were probably not as hateful as they appeared. But the result was clearly hurtful, insensitive, and at least covertly racist; and they should know better. Hats off to Iverson and the Spurs for showing us the virtues of grace and class in the face of a horrid error in judgement.
I'm pretty sure it was an inside tip from Iverson to the 5 million illegal Mexicans living in San Antonio that he's runnin' out!
Libel suits have been filed for much less - it wouldn't be hard to argue, legally at least, that AI WAS a victim here. Beyond that, the immediate reaction to events like this (as many comments have already expressed) is often: "these shock-jocks were victimized by the 'thought police.'" I take Shoals' characterization to be preemtive - I'm sure many of you will start blaming the victim soon as well...
At least other cities put down iverson..it does not just happen here in philly..philly is always portrayed as a bad city...now others are joing in...A devoted Philly Sports Fan
Boo Hoo. There is no foul here. Carmelo has made clear in the past that he is trying maintain an image that appeals to the thuggish street element. For AI to be considered a victim in laughable. Despite his recent goodwill tour, let's not forget that this a player with a significant history of domestic violence, gun violations, etc. If the players are going to try and emulate street thugs and more specifically cultivate that image, then it is fair game to make fun of it. To equate this to the Imus incident is unfortunate because those athletes were merely kids playing a game, not professionals trying to make a buck.
Adam, you said it perfect(3 blogs up),the skit was a shot at there persons,and race, not so much an innocent skit that people took out of text. And if you're one to think that, it shows what era your head is still in.I'm one to joke and laugh at a joke, but thats a little too far and the people of America,black white brown will get it eventually, this will not be tolerated, and i'm one that feels Dom Imus's punishment was a little harsh, but it has to start somewhere.
Just wanted to say you guys are definately right, AI is definately the victim here. I'm sure the fact that AI fired a gun in the spot had everything to do with the fact that he is black and has cornrows and nothing to do with his NUMEROUS citations for carrying weapons. Wow, I really can't figure out how anyone could think AI of all people is a thug. I mean once again, he is clearly the victim in this joke, not his naked wife who he threw out on to the front yard at four o-clock in the morning. This is race bating at its absolute worst. I did not agree with the Rutgers decision, but at least the argument could be made that the insults were unjustified and without cause. As much as the posters on this page apparently like to say AI gets a bum rap purely because of his tatooed corn-rowed image (though admittedly they likely don't help) his record, police-wise and other, tells a very different story. Get a sense of humor or change the radio station.
You people are all morons.
Finally, we get rid of these two trite, bush-league wannabes. They should have fired for plagiarizing their content, styles, and opinions from others in their industry. Once again, Popovich stands for quality.
At what point did everybody decide to simultaneously waive their First Amendment Rights? If you don;t like what somebody else has to say, get away from it!
It is not about waving your first admenment rights. It is about right and wrong more importantly black and white. If they were playing the celetics would the skit been the same. If you don't know something about a culture do not comment. And they are thug to you why? They make a lot more than you do and the house's are bigger not to mention you pay to see them do what they do. Or do you think that your skin color makes you superior and you can get away with talking like that to people. Over half of the starting NBA is black, does that make them all thugs? Vexler and Pasacrita have poor taste in judgement, humor and no class. To piggytail off the back of anything Imus has said to defame or disgrace another human is wrong. You should pick better role models and one day someone will make an insensitive comment about you, your family or culture and you will them see how it feels and why it must be stopped and we are not going to keep making excuses for fools pushing it up under the rug. YOUR SKIN COLOR DOES NOT MAKE YOU BETTER THAN SOMEONE ELSE OR GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO MAKE STUPID AND IGNORANT COMMENTS ABOUT ANYONE. The first admenment is in tack, it is the tacless comment of those speaking where the problems lie.
Maybe if they ran the skit and it didn't mention someone specifically, then it wouldn't be offensive. If you look at it objectively, it was a personal attack. They were trying to hype up fans by making fun of AI and Anthony. They weren't trying to give them positive publicity in any way. But as far as all the thug stuff goes, I thought they both made their money legally. Oh, the NBA is just a legal front to cover their illegal activities. AI always rolls with lots of jewelry. I'm sure no one ever thought to try to rob him. Melo was recently attacked at a local convience store. Walk in their shoes. Wouldn't you want some kind of protection if you aren't going to let your fame keep you apart from "the common folks," be it a gun or a posse. They go to their old neighborhoods and hangouts. You know their are haters out there looking for the opportunity. Jordan didn't that problem because he didn't come out in public often and never within arm's length unless you were in the front row.
It's funny the white man can be himself and there's no problem(PunkRocker,Skinhead,Gothic style),as soon as a brother just wanna be himself it's a problem,This generation doesn't care what white people say or think because we got our own thing.