Re: "Misuse" of AW

[kjgoo <kjgoo@worldnet.att.net>]

JOzersky wrote:

<<Adidas Antoine commercials seem to be aimed either at the white majority, or at an across the board (i.e. 
mostly white) audience.  Thus there is no hip-hop jargon, flash cuts, in your face dribble moves, or any of 
the usual characteristics of non-Nike sneaker commercials.   The model is not basketball but the business 
office  ("these are my coworkers") and its attendant theme of sacrificing self for the corpororation, the 
reduction of the individual ("that's me, employee number eight") to his or her usefulness to the companty ("I 
make baskets.")  I realize that celtic basketball is about teamwork, but modern basketball in the post 
segregation-era is also about personal expressiveness and creativity and improvisation, WITHIN THAT CONTEXT.  
Antoine's commercials strike me as being a backlash against the overly individualistic reps of the young 
players, hence the portrayal of what we all know to be a very expressive, free spirited, and exhuberant young 
star as a hardworking drone  ("Hi, this is antoine.  I'm at practice.  Hi this is antoine, I'm at 
practice....").  The same thing happened with Larry Bird, another  strong personality with a game full of 
flair and style who was invariably portrayed as a model of the protestant work ethic.  ("he's not that gifted, 
but nobody arrives earlier to shoot baskets....")>>

What're you, some kind of Laker fan?  Sure, Antoine is expressive, he's free spirited and exuberant.  He's 
also a team player.  He also works hard.  Does that make him "less black" somehow?  Does that mean that 
African-American fans/commercial watchers shouldn't identify with him?  SHOULDN'T there be a "backlash against 
the overly individualistic reps of the young players"?  Or do you like Allen Iverson's game?  Frankly, I think 
it's encouraging that adidas is choosing (perhaps with some prompting from Supreme Overlord David Falk) to 
emphasize these aspects of Antoine's game.  It IS ridiculous that many people ignored Larry Bird's athletic 
gifts and creativity, the same way they ignored Magic Johnson's incredible drive and devotion to the team 
concept.  

I'm curious -- what makes the people on this list Celtic fans?  For me, it is the teamwork, the devotion and 
the sacrifice.  I don't care whether they win with speed or with size (Bird-Parish-McHale), with grace or with 
force.  They've done all those things to perfection.  Personal expressiveness, creativity and improvisation 
make the game fun to watch.  But they don't win championships.  If they did, players like Dominique would have 
rings.  Players like DJ and the Chief would not.

Michael Gooen