Legacies.

-

when we discuss legacies, we usually brush broad strokes over the tapestry. we tend to emphasize the good, & minimize the bad. i mean, i get it. it’s fair to want someone’s legacy to encompass the good that they did or left behind. but legacies can be complicated.

in our haste to brush a man’s legacy with broad black & white strokes, we hide the gray. the bad. the finite details that make a larger than life figure seem...fallible.


when we set our intentions solely on magnifying the good, we simultaneously silence survivors by minimizing their experiences. 


we can honor his legacy in basketball & also allow space to reconcile with the mistakes he made that have lasting effects on those he hurt directly & indirectly.


to most, he is a sports icon, legend, & hero. to a select few, he is a painful reminder of their worst life experience, & how minute the consequences are for men, especially those of influence.


his legacy is complicated. no more broad strokes.

Comments

  1. SarahFebruary 27, 2021 at 2:58 PM

    I think it is as important as recognizing that celebrities are imperfect and everything they do may or may not be forgivable to all. When you see them as human, you acknowledge their flaws and some flaws should be remembered and learned from.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Casual.

-
 n ow i’m not gone call no names, but- actually, that’s not true. Mr. Shaquille O’Neal, please step up to the podium. Shaq is a NBA Hall of Famer, with a resume as long as his feet. despite possessing illustrious credentials, Shaq insists on leaning into an oafish, get-off-my-lawn type shtick that makes his wafer-thin basketball analysis unbearable. just last night, after Donovan Mitchell scored 36 points to secure the win for the soaring Utah Jazz, Shaq stated, “you are one of my favorite players, but you don’t have what it takes to get to that next level.” To which, a sheepishly-grinned Mitchell said “aight” in response. hmm. this encounter comes weeks after Shaq told Christian Wood, ON THE “INSIDE THE NBA” STAGE, that he “wasn’t familiar with his game”, moments after incorrectly declared he wasn’t talented but he plays hard. i just- HUH????? Christian Wood correctly called him a casual, because that’s what he is. Shaquille O’Neal is a casual. i’m just curious as to how we are ex...
Read more

The Morning After.

-
it wasn’t until i saw the team’s official post that it dawned on me: the Harden era was really over. what can be said to sum up the 8 years as a Rockets fan? a lot, i KNOW. but how can you adequately cover such a franchise defining era without missing anything? i don’t think you can & i won’t try. however, i will say this: on October 27, 2012, Rockets fans had no idea what trading Jeremy Lamb & Kevin Martin to OKC would do for our franchise.  James Harden came to us with a small mohawk, full beard, & his Sixth Man of The Year trophy in tow. he would then slowly tick off statistical milestones only reached by the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, & Kobe Bryant. he managed to will the Rockets into playoff seeding his entire tenure with the team, often forced to drag thin, aging, & injured rosters to the finish line.  during the 2017-2018 season, Harden fine tuned his already elite game, launching him into the MVP conversation & firmly placing the...
Read more