The Political Defanging of Team USA

On Sunday morning, ESPN ran a substantial feature on the progression of Team USA's stated role in drawing attention to Darfur as it makes its way to China for the Olympics. Over the past year, players including LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have spoken (to different degrees) about the Sudanese genocide, and the indication has been that some sort of awareness campaign might coincide with the team's bid for gold. As the ESPN segment made clear -- and you can see it below -- this will not be the case.

In May, LeBron said he's ready to speak out after learning more about China's human rights record. In June, after USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo tells the team to keep quiet about "politics," LeBron says he'll be focusing on basketball. I understand the need for focus, and that the Olympic men's basketball tournament will be a challenge itself. But ... what?

Dave Zirin had a provocative piece in The Nation two summers ago (discussed at FreeDarko here) on the odd tact noted Republicans Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski took in pushing a political agenda in Team USA auditions and practices. As a part of the political push, Sen. John McCain (a benefactor of Colangelo's contributory largess) spoke to the team.

Darfur isn't exactly a blue-red issue. But it has received more attention from the left than the right. (Proof positive: President Bush's goodwill tour through China this week, while other nations will boycott the Beijing opening ceremony as a statement against China's Darfur involvement.) We don't know exactly what Colangelo said in his talk with Team USA, or how involved Coach K became. But the odd shift in the stance of LeBron and Kobe immediately following the session raises more red flags than we'll see over Beijing this weekend.

USA Basketball should not be in the business of keeping its players quiet. That's not what America is about.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-04-2008 @ 2:35PM

Ringo said...

I'd like to see a tally on how many times we hear something to the affect of "letting politicians do the politics" over the next three weeks. How pathetic do these guys sound repeating that over and over. I don't they're as stupid and naive as it makes them sound.

8-04-2008 @ 2:54PM

jams said...

I really hated it when someone intentionally or otherwise mixes politics with my sports. That concussion just gives me a splitting headache, often making me split from that writer.

Jams said...

If you don't like hearing George Clooney's views on politics, why in God's name would you care about what Kobe says about China?

8-04-2008 @ 3:09PM

Maveness said...

Americans aren't about keeping their mouths shut, but the Olympics is. Seriously, the IOC doesn't allow for political shenanigans in relation to the Olympics.

(Funny part about it to me is that they're dead set on the Olympics being a non-political celebration of sport, then they go to China where the Chinese government is actually making it political with regards to Tibet.)

But at this point, the IOC will lay the smackdown on countries and athletes participating. They won't lay the smackdown on China since they're the host country. Which smacks of hypocrisy, but that's the way things are. So telling the athletes to focus isn't all bad - it's a system that's messed up right now, but it's the system. Save it for meaningful moments when they can really take a stand. Win a medal and use that opportunity to do good (think Joey Cheek who didn't politicize his act of charity, but simply and graciously did good which in turn did start a political groundswell of activity).

8-04-2008 @ 3:34PM

giff said...

curious at first that Colangelo would say "it's not about politics" and then have the cojones to have had McCain come to the team's practice...which is clearly politics...but then again he's a republican which are known for having duplicitous agendas...and besides, clearly his republican team can't win the whole thing...maybe he should have some democrats on the Suns....at least Obama can drain a three, McCain can barely drain the lizard...without a catheter...

8-04-2008 @ 3:33PM

also curious is the Colangelo stance about not saying anything in the light of how Republicans have tradionally stood about communication...Americans have free speech, as long as it says what the republicans want you to say...nice job, disembowling the constitution Jerry...

8-04-2008 @ 5:09PM

Jared said...

I can understand an olympic athelete not wanting to get distracted by issues that aren't related to their sport, but the politics of human rights are relevant in all circumstances, even in sports. The idealism of the IOC, which views the olympics as some magical celebration of common humanity through sports is really quite childish. It becomes irresponsible and hypocritical when the IOC chooses locations where governments have abused the rights of other humans. Who today, after realizing the historical events of Nazi Germany would agree that Berlin would be the appropriate location for the 1936 Olympics?

If you're using sports as an escape from reality and don't think that a sports column or blog should have any inclinations of being a responsible media outlet, then I can see why you may not like this post. The olympics will always be somehow tied to the relevant political issues of the day though, just as they should be.

8-04-2008 @ 7:56PM

terry said...

You really need a new card to replace the race one..Twice in two days? The mean old white republicans keeping the black man down..Maybe they were not as "invovled" as they claimed..What does it say that they let themselves be muzzled if it happened? What happened if they didnt listen and talked any way? Get sent home? Don't play? Yea,USA basketball is gonna risk that hoopla...Rrrrrrrrrisght..You can't defang an animal with no teeth

8-05-2008 @ 12:07PM

Roger said...

Wow. You are atrociously out of your depth with this post. Trite little pot-shots at Republicans while sticking and ignorant toe in the waters of a real issue.

Awkward.

8-05-2008 @ 12:30PM

Sal said...

I'm confused as to how being upset with the fact that hundreds of thousands of people being raped and killed is politics...

8-05-2008 @ 7:18PM

Terry, do you actually know what the phrase "race card" actually means? You seem to think it's a blanket phrase to be used whenever a person criticizes a Republican.

You see, a person plays the race card when they want to make race an issue in order to serve an ulterior agenda. What Tom Ziller said seems to be saying in this piece is that two well known Republicans in USA basketball are coercing their players to be silent on political issues facing China during the Olympics. It may be true that most Republicans are white but Ziller's post had nothing to do with race. One could argue that there are some underlying racial implications to having white officials imposing any sort of political view on their black players. You'll notice that Ziller didn't bring up the race of any person he mentioned though. He was talking about politics.

I had a nice little chuckle at your ignorance Terry, but the more I think about it, it is kind of disturbing.