Fun Police.

this blog is dedicated to the Celebration Constables & the Smack Talk Sargents. 

i am not sure who deputized you to police the behavior of athletes but you are relieved of your duties effective immediately. please turn in your badge.

the Grizzlies are a young & fun team in the midst of a crucial playoff run. the star of the team and the league’s Most Improved Player, Ja Morant, has quickly become must-see tv. whether it’s plane celebrations, rapid tweeting, or griddying after wins, Morant & his teammates are having the time of their lives & deservedly so.

the incessant need to “humble” the team & police what they can & cannot do in the midst of a successful season & playoff run is SILLY.

who are you to set an arbitrary bar by which players must clear in order to be cocky or have fun? what exactly do players need to “accomplish” in order to outwardly express joy in what they do?

if you see players enjoying their jobs & your immediate reaction is to judge or police their joy then maybe *your* joy is what needs further inspection. let’s completely do away with the humble label we try to smack on the forehead of athletes, ESPECIALLY black ones.

this type of behavior REEKS of the white supremacy laden “get off my lawn” posturing that already runs rampant in the other major sports. restricting an athlete’s ability to feel joy, excitement, glee, or any other relevant emotion at will can slowly strip away the humanity of the bodies inside the uniforms & the souls within those bodies. these players aren’t just the name on the front of their jerseys, they are also the names on the back.

basketball is fun. the Grizzlies are fun. stop expecting these athletes to be robots when they are having fun [unless you’re Kawhi]. 

turn in your badge & take a hint from the Grizzlies- find joy in what you do.