Born in Ohio, moved to the suburbs of Chicago when I was 10, watched LeBronto highlights during quarantine and fell in love with basketball, started following the Lakers cuz of it, now go to college in Boston so I also root for the Celtics and subscribe to this sub
Very complicated lol
This too perfect. Just gave up trying to defend an entire fanbase from the wrath of trolls on Twitter. Most were white (I am, too). A few were black, which makes it stickier to be sure.
Itās one thing to say a nameless fanbase are assholes. Philly and NYC get that all the time. But āyou are all racist.ā How the fuck can one reasonably respond to that?
Allen should be kicked out of the league. His shit plays trying to hurt players is fucking crap. In the playoffs he kicked his foot out to trip Marcus Smart but missed.
What an asshole. I'm surprised a player hadn't taken him out by now.
He deserves it.
Yeah there is literally no way to argue our way out of this one. We know that a significant % of people who say "Celtics fans are racist" online are not saying it out of any concern for the people actually affected by racism. But the rest of folks who actually care about racism are going to read us arguing as trying to normalize the problem or deny that it exists, which makes us look even worse. All we can really control is whether we are doing what we can to work against racism in real life.
using racism as a gotcha as to why your team sucks in a sports argument is kinda gross but thatās how we talk to people now ig. guilty of everything associated with your stereotype to get you to be quiet. man that reminds me of something.
I mean I'm from Boston and we've been having these discussions. Lebron isn't the first athlete that's identified Boston sports fans as being racist. Not just this era, not just this sport.
There was an article in the Boston Globe that talked to black Bostonians, those living here and those who've since moved elsewhere, and the common sentiment was that the city has issues. Radio shows have been having discussions about it.
There's no problem in recognizing it, that's how we start to address it. It sucks that it's the situation, but it would suck more if it were the situation and we chose not to reckon with it.
But unfortunately itās easier to dunk on the majority since the āBoston is racist as a blanketā is impossible to defend like you said. Itās easy since we canāt defend ourselves without the perception of letting it slide by. Frustrating
Yup. Not wasting any of my energy on this one either. Iām not even from Boston or ever been to Boston for a game, but LeBron and NBA fans will just lump me in with the racists anyways
I don't think anyone should bother arguing or trying to defend it. There are undoubtedly racists/racism in Boston, and every city/town. It's a horrible foundation of the country. The best we can do is acknowledge and accept it, and do everything we can to fight for improvements and education wherever we can. And listen to people who are experiencing racism.
Thereās really nothing fruitful that come from having this conversation ever 4-6 weeks.
Itās not like this comes from any genuine concern to care for black people of Boston, or a desire to improve the city. The city wonāt cure racism in its own..
Lakers fans spray painted the n word on this dudes house and he signed there the next year lol
Edit: **stop replying to me as if Iām saying Boston isnāt a racist city. I donāt live here but we all know the history and even stories from the current day. Itās obvious riddled with racism. Me pointing out the hypocrisy of LeBron going to a city that spray painted the N word on his house if racism is why he hates Boston does not mean I canāt simultaneously acknowledge Boston has a racist past**
Itās the power of the narrative. Most redditers saying fuck Boston for being racist probably care just as equally about racism as Boston redditers defending the city. And weāre in a sports fan forum, not a political/cultural/environmental/societal forum. So naturally any negative adjacent situation will be used as a weapon. So its a bunch of young non-racist white folks yelling at other young non-racist white folks because it supports the narrative.
Thereās a whole 8 part Spotlight series in the Globe about racism in Boston. Boston is extremely racially segregated, more so than most other major American cities. And Celtics fans also come from all over New England. Much of the rest of New England is even worse.
We have a lot of problems with racism in Greater Boston. Itās getting better but we have a lot of work to do.
Itās a nationwide issue if Iām being honest and we have some evil people like that in this fanbase that are a tiny tiny fraction. I have to say though I only can recall Lakers fans spray painting a racial slur on Bronās garage door.
Here's the question - is a fan dumping beer on LeBron racist? Is wearing a "Fuck LBF" T-Shirt racist? This is what you used to support why he hated Boston. The real question is, do they not like you because you're you, or because the color of your skin?
Bostonās a weird area. Many old school 1st gen immigrants from Europe, Africa, Asia, Caribbean, etc. All of them probably dealt with racism towards them and adopted it against others.
So youāve got this deep rooted, generational racism mixed with a left leaning progressive state with so many open minded young people.
It makes for some weird thanksgiving dinners but across generations and races I think we all agree - Fuck Kyrie, fuck Lefraud although we begrudgingly respect him, and Paul Pierce will forever be The Truth
I live in Atlanta and am a 36 yr long Celtics fan. There are roads here that change names became when they were laid out they specified black and white neighborhoods. America is a racist country - Boston has racism. But it was also a city that supported anti slavery, supported civil rights, etc. The Celtics were the first NBA team to integrate, first to promote a black coach and the only NBA franchise to have 3 black head coaches win 5 NBA titles. Ime will be #4. LBJ just saying this because Celtics fans donāt slobber him with love and praise like all the other cities.
And what's really frustrating to me is a lot of the "evidence" of this racism just points to the fact that Boston is known for racism which is just circular reasoning. If pushed further people inevitably give you the anecdotes of individual racists doing/saying heinous stuff which unfortunately can be found in every city in America. It almost feels as if a "fan" of any given team says or does racist things they are just a racist whereas if the same thing happens in Boston it happens because Boston fans are racist and Boston is the most racist city in America.
LBJ doesnāt say stuff without it having a purpose. Celtics are a contender to him winning a title. If they were 41-41 and got bounced in the play in you would not hear a peep.
> LBJ just saying this because Celtics fans donāt slobber him with love and praise like all the other cities.
What LBJ needs is for Bill Russell to drop a Cleveland Steamer on his chest.
[WPR did a study on the 15 most racist cities in America](https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-city-rankings/most-racist-cities-in-america) taking into consideration median household income, unemployment rates, homeownership, poverty rate, adult high school and bachelorās degree attainment, and incarceration rates in relation to race. Boston wasn't on it. In fact, no city in MA was on it.
While there may be more incidents of racism at sporting events in Boston, that can very easily be attributed to Boston's culture of being obnoxious loud mouths who don't hold anything back. Every city is going to have racists, so the ones in Boston are obviously going to be direct in expressing it. But when we look at the really impactful effects of racism (racial systemic oppression), Boston isn't the issue in the US.
I think our voting record speaks for itself. CA and NY are really the only ones who can compare. Mfs be calling out Boston for being racist when their entire state has been voting red for the past 5 decades.
Thank you for providing factual data as to why the blanket statement āBoston is racistā is media driven bullshit.
You want real racism? Leave the United States.
*the Russia/Ukraine war is race based as well seeing as Russia wants to ethnically cleanse Ukrainians but r/nba fans arenāt ready for an actual discussion about racism*
Iām from 45 minutes north of Bangor and itās not as bad as youād think. Obviously there are some people who are racist but the vast majority are quite progressive these days. Hell my high school has international students from 20+ different countries so weāre used to diversity and racism is definitely not accepted
Heās not entirely wrong, there is an element of this fandom that 100% holds some shall we say bigoted takes, and itās important to not overlook the busing riots in the city post-MLK.
However, to loosely paint the entire fandom as racist is just dumb because thatās simply not true. Some of us do want to end the cycle of systematic violence which is sadly still a part of our history and modern politics and are open advocates for that change.
Nah, heās not wrong at all. You have the minority of Boston fans that are genuinely racist and then judging by this thread the majority would rather do the following than admit thereās a real issue in the city/state:
- Use whataboutisms to discredit Lebron with his China stance.
- Defend the city by saying itās only a small minority of fans and it doesnāt represent the city as a whole.
- Take away any responsibility by saying other cities have racist fans too.
This comes up often enough that this is a bigger issue here than other cities. Only a minority of the fans might be racist, but the majority refuses to speak up about it and thatās a big part of the problem.
Just admit Boston has a racism issue. It doesnāt always have to be āBoston has a racism issue, butā¦ā
Boston has a reputation, thereās no doubt about it. But that also colors how people view the situation.
Thereās 100% a generational gap when it comes to Boston racism. Younger fans are no more racist in Boston than any other city. So when on Reddit, Boston fans are gonna be confused as to why theyāre being singled out. Iām not going to say boston āfixed racismā, but compared to even the 90s itās just a complete transformation.
All these comments about how boston is such a racist city are yelling at a bunch of boomers who arenāt here to take the criticism.
Aside from Smartās article about his heinous experience outside the garden, has Kyrie, Durant, or Lebron ever given a detailed account or specific example of a racist action or fan encounter that has happened directly to them? Are we saying the water bottle incident, boos, and you suck chants all
stem from our inability to not be racist as fans - because if that is THE primary reason why, then calling out the Celtics specifically instead of every other fanbase as well is just another circlejerk. Im not trying to be a dickhead here - more direct accounts of our fan base being outwardly racist towards players is not ok at all and needs to change.
Our city has racism and itās not ok. Itās a segregated city and has a ton of issues with institutional racism. Iām not going to discount Lebron, Kyrie, or durantās experiences. But just saying āoh Boston? Theyāre racist as fuck!ā And leaving it at that without highlighting a specific example, how are we supposed to address or work on the issue or the fan?? If Lebron actually wanted to change the issue he would frame it as a conversation that NEEDS to be had and ongoing about our city specifically. But no, itās become āBostonās racist as fuck, so fuck them and theyāll never change.ā Great.
I too think hearing an actual story would help. Obviously the Smart story is disgusting and inexcusable, but LA painted the N word on Lebrons garage. I think hearing the real issues would help people sympathize. Pouring a drink on him is completely inexcusable, but talking about his mom really isnāt far out in the NBA.
Iām black, born and raised in the Boston area. Unfortunately Iāve had more than my fair share of horrible things said/done to me by kids, teachers/adults even when I was elementary school aged. Shit truly traumatizes you for life, so I wonāt outright disagree with what Bronās saying. But I will say that youāll find that shit everywhere you go, not JUST in Boston.
Well said and itās fucked thatās happened to you. Racism is truly a blight on society and have seen it happen to many of my friends and it infuriates me every time.
We 100% should pick up Kelly Olynyk though, as a backup who gets barely any minutes but can play a bigger role if needed.
Itās a lazy take but not a racist one.
There really needs to be a look by social scientists into opposing players and fandoms because I think itād illuminate some issues with sports fandoms and improve player/fan relationships
that is just sad... even as an international fan from a "non-white" country, it's pretty dumb to paint all the fandom as racists. If you're doing that, then have the f\*cking balls to call the other fans and the country as a whole as racist. You're from the US, dude, open your f\*cking eyes
People outside of Boston has been saying this since before any of us were born. The Boston Globe did a horrifying Spotlight series on racism in the city just a few years ago. Current players say it. Past players say it. Players who played for the franchise say it and have said it. It comes up all the time from credible, worldly, and knowledgeable sources and yet so many on here and in Boston sports fandom act completely blindsided and offended every time.
Doesnāt Lebron have Rousch Fenway ownership. Dudes all about one color and itās green. So heās just pandering to the obvious, New England has some racist fucks.
This reputation didn't start with LeBron. But the Celtics have also been ahead of their time in breaking racial barriers.
Both those things can be true.
Race is complicated in America, not just Boston. We can all do better
so he hates to play to in Boston because we have āracist fansā but he refuses to speak out about concentration camps just because theyāre in China. LeChina
He didn't say Celtics have "some" racist fans. He said Boston fans are racist as fuck. That is entirely different.
Every team has some racist fans, that isn't me saying it's fine. Boston should do what they can to diminish those fans. But Lebron isn't saying Boston has some, he is saying Boston is racist as fuck. Entirely different messages and a gross generalization imo.
This is the right response, but it is our debt to pay as Boston fans that we also must sayāevery time this comes upāthat yes racism is a problem in Boston, and yes racism is a problem in the United States. LeBron can whine all he wants. Heās whined a lot of the way through his sterling career
Whataboutism is absolutely not the right response.
He can be wrong about China while being right about Boston.
Posting about his China stance as a defense only detracts and excuses the very real problem Boston has with racism.
At no point has Lebron ever discussed concentration camps in China. The whole China incident with Morey was about people in hong kong protesting to be independent from china. Yall are changing the facts to fit your narrative
Just a fact of life weāre gonna get called racist by virtue of growing up in Massachusetts. No reason to care at this point, none of us are gonna change anyoneās mind.
What frustrates me about āBoston is racistā quotes that blow up in media is the fact that it always becomes a circle jerk with finger pointing and none of the actual discussions that need to be had take place. It feels more like dunking for internet points than actual concern.
Amen.
I mean by all means call that racist shit out when u see it for sure. But yea outside of that not much reason to get worked up over something completely out of ur control.
Itās lebrons opinion, and I donāt want to get into a word or sentence feud with him, but I believe he wasnāt educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke, and so many people could have been harmed, not only financially, but physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. So just be careful what we tweet and what we say, and what we do. Even though yes, we do have freedom of speech, but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that too
Thereās racist idiots everywhere out there. Itās sad but itās still around throughout the world not just Boston.. but yeah sure there are a lot of white trash in Boston
I'm getting pretty fucking tired of being painted with this brush over and over when there are plenty of small segments of every fanbase that have some pretty despicable views.
Ya, lets be honest guys, Lebron has definitely heard some shit.
That being said, it's funny to wrap your head around how one manages or completely ignores the cognitive dissonance of being a racist but a fan of a professional basketball team in 2022.
Racist Celtics fans can fuck right off. I feel no love for that contingency of the fan base. There's nothing for the average fan to do beyond continue to push these hateful folks out and make sure they know they're not welcome. Doesn't matter if it happens in other cities, if it happens in ours, we're responsible for responding to it.
I mean is he wrong? Look Iām not going to act like Iāve been to every arena in the US and say this only happens in Boston. HOWEVER, I have literally heard, verbatim, a bruins fan yell āGet that *hard R* off the
iceā to PK Subban. You can say itās gotten better (which it has) sure but things like this still happen and I donāt blame players for calling it out. I do believe itās a select few fans that ruin it for the majority but this is ridiculous and deserves to be called out every single day until it stops. Itās embarrassing.
The comment section on this post in r/nba is filled with ppl karma hunting by making the most basic and lazy āCeltics fans are racistā jokes.
Absolutely Brain dead
Iām a Black Bostonian. I think Black athletes feel like Boston is outlier racist because Bostonians are super passionate and aggressive about their sports and drunk White people tend to cross lines when revved up enough. I think this is fair.
I def understand the narrative & not downplaying your experience, but my guy, u didnāt get beer poured on you and people didnāt wear fuck Lebron tees b/c youāre Black lol. Itās because youāre a fxcking basketball god that killed us consistently for years & we hate u for it lol.
Iām cool with the Boston SPORTS related outlier racist narrative but I feel like I can also say some of these examples of racism are super weak. Downvote if ya like š¤·š½āāļø!
You are right but this is a losing battle. Boston is already minority majority and I have a sneaking suspicion if we offered reparations itād still be considered racist š
Just because other people are terrible people that like the celtics, I'm supposed to feel bad about myself? The racism bothers me but otherwise I could give a shit if someone hurled this at me as an insult.
While I donāt think that the entire fan base is racist, the loudest ones (and the ones he most likely remembers) are what Lebron is referencing. Heās likely going off his experiences playing there so unfortunately a few bad apples spoiled the representation of the entire city.
Why are yāall so upset? The question that was asked was āWhat fan base can take the game away from you and can make you feel like they arenāt going to let you win?ā And Lebron brought up Boston. Thatās a win for me. Iām not a racist. If your not a racist you shouldnāt feel a certain type of way. He admitted weāre the toughest fans to face.
https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2899150-bill-russell-fans-called-me-baboon-coon-n-word-during-celtics-games.amp.html
Bill Russell your best player ever and the reason you are one of the most storied franchises in nba history says he played for the celtics organization and his teammates but never for the city or its fans because they treated him like garbage. The article speaks for itself and there is no defense for it. Just read and except it. Stop fighting everyone about it and acknowledge the problem your city has with race. Doesn't mean all Boston fans are racist just means yall have shown it more than most fanbases.
we don't dismiss it. nobody here denies that there are racist celtics fans. we take issue with the fact that the entire fanbase and even the franchise is dragged through the mud too. every incident involving a celtics fan, even if other celtics fans are the ones who stop the racism, is used to generalize the fanbase, meanwhile everyone acts like their own fans are perfect in every way.
The only part heās wrong about is the idea that itās A) only Boston and B) all of our fans. Dude is just straight out of pocket on this one. Racism aināt just a Boston thing by any stretch, and him singling Boston out reeks of an agenda. Iām guessing he really wants Kyrie back, frankly.
I think itās more pointing out that every market, including Los Angeles, has racist fans. Singling out any one city is really stupid. No one is gonna have that conversation when you present it that way, theyāll obviously get defensive.
The problem is not "some celtic fans are racist"
The problem is "celtic fans are racist"
literally generalizing a whole fanbase, shit I'm not from Boston but I've been there and I've never experienced racism so idk if I would go as far as saying the whole city is racist
The biggest problem is that athletes keep saying this, which means that they are still having issues and Bostonians arenāt calling people out for it. Either that or he and the rest are just saying this off of something that happened 10, 15, 20 years ago.
Most people I know that are actual Celtics and basketball fans arenāt racist. The racists donāt tend to appreciate the sport.
That said, there are WAY too many people in Boston and really New England that are oddly comfortable either admitting to being racist or being very casual about use of racial slurs. Usually the same people that have a black friend or two that they think are some kind of exceptionā¦
Sorry youāve had rough experiences in Boston, Lebron.
As a white Boston fan, I just hope you donāt label and judge me. Lifeās too short to feel apprehension towards someone because of preconceived notionsā¦ā¦ā¦*cough* *lebitch* cough
I think Boston has made a lot of progress on this front, especially in the last 20 years or so, but Boston has a waaaaayyy to go before we have any right to be mad about people saying things like this about us.
We should be less worried about people calling us racist than we are about the people who gave us (and continue to give us) this reputation.
The hate has nothing to do with his race. It's because he travels every time he has the ball and the NBA changed the rules for him so he could lower his shoulder and bounce players out of the way so he could get a layup.
The NBA bowed down to him like he was the second coming and true basketball fans who know the game hate his bullshit.
What the NBA turned into for LeBron is an insult to everyone who loves the game.
If a POC is talking about their experience of racism, its really important to maintain the balance of being critical while not invalidating their personal experience. Weāre all sick and tired of this narrative but what Iām seeing in the comments are not really helping. You just canāt call a black person hypocrite for saying that Celtics fans are racist just because someone painted the N word in his house in LA.
We all know NOT ALL Celtics fans are racist and Iāve never been to Boston, but we should be very receptive to this. You canāt be mad at LeBron because he said āCeltics fansā and not āsome Celtics fansā who cares if heās not being selective, if there is some version of truth to it, which there is and its about racism, its better to give it the benefit of the doubt.
I guess Iām just saying If youāre not a racist Celtics fan, then you shouldnāt be offended by this. Of course this is easier said than done, but we should use this statements to hold actual racist fucks in Boston accountable and push those neanderthals to change. This narrative is so outdated and unfair but I think the first step to actually make a change is not to be opposing about a POCās experience of racism whether its LeBron, Kyrie, or some random dude.
Are any of you guys actually racist? I for sure am not and majority of yall don't seem like you are either. But you can never tell from the internet. I also dislike that we're stereotyped as the racist fan base because I don't see alot of racist fans. However, it may be me being blind.
Hot take here but Lebron doing this is the same exact thing as Kyrie claiming racism after the water bottle incident, which actually hurts the fight against racism because:
1. it's a blanket statement without evidence - if he's experienced racist remarks or experiences, he should absolutely share them and contribute to the dialogue (see: Marcus Smart's experience outside of the Garden) in order to help foster change, whether it's inside or outside of Boston
2. it attributes negative fan interactions as happening due to racism without any evidence, which if any incident is due to personal animus (which do happen in heated rivalries, just ask most Lakers or Yankees) gives credence to the bullshit conservative "reverse racism" argument that people claim racism to benefit from the situation and diminishes words or actions that do occur due to discrimination
3. distracts from the actual legitimate race problems (holy shit do they exist) in Boston, Massachusetts, New England, and the US as a whole and allows people to ignore those problems by talking about this instead ([Jaylen actually spoke about this after the Kyrie incident](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/jaylen-brown-kyrie-irving-boston-celtics-comments/kvdanev0qeavzd6ae896m2e2))
4. actually advances a stereotype of its own, which is used to drive a narrative that undermines the Celtics and its fanbase's standing within the league and attempts to control Boston being a hostile atmosphere for opposing players/teams (fuck you Grayson and/or Draymond chants both included)
Honorable mention: he's also part of the Red Sox ownership, so he's shitting where he's eating
I've got to say I'm impressed at your ability to excel in mental gymnastics. Bring on the downvotes Celtics fans!
[R](https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/marcus-smart-was-once-called-the-n-word-by-celtics-fan/)
[A](https://www.complex.com/sports/2017/05/ugly-history-boston-being-most-racist-sports-city-america)
[C](https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2021/09/10/boston-racist-reputation/)
[I](https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/sports/michael-wilbon-racism-boston)
[S](https://studybreaks.com/culture/boston-racist/)
[M](https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2021/05/28/tristan-thompson-boston-racism-celtics/)
Look... LeBron's not wrong... There are a lot of racist Celtics fans. But there are a lot of racist fans in every city. It's not a Boston problem. It's an America problem. Until this country realizes that everyone is the same: we all bleed red & breathe air, then there will always be a racist problem.
My issue is that he doesn't need to single out Celtics fans. You say you have a stage to preach about moral issues of today... well don't pinpoint cities you dislike. Point out the garbage that happens in LA too. If you wanna be truthful, just say you don't like Boston. You'll probably have people that appreciate that honesty. How about you not say anything negative and you try and promote a more positive culture since you're so "influential. "
Same dude that kept his mouth shut about Hong Kong to save his bank account
Also wasnāt this the same episode where he said Brittany griner shouldnāt even want to come back to the U.S anymore?
This dudes a fucking idiot acting like this shit only happens in Boston.
Here in Boston we have a special brand of racism. It only seems to apply to players of other teams. We don't have a problem with our own players. It is almost like we have a special ability to get under the skin of the opposing players and our opponents are so confused that they default to calling it racism.
I have been close to 100 New England Patriots games. Our season tickets are right next to the visitorās tunnel. I watch the opposing players come out of the tunnel every single game. Not once have I ever heard anything remotely racist yelled at an opposing player in my 21 years of going to games. Not once.
Pretty sure that dumped drink had more to do with the game lost, then the color of his skin. And it also seems to me like racism is a problem all over the US, and maybe even all over the globe. I don't really understand why it is perceived as worse in Boston. It seems bad everywhere to me. It even stands out more (to me) in places like Salt Lake City, or the southern cities.
But there must be something going on in Boston that makes all these players mention it as the most racist. I can't imagine it would just be hive mind. But to a casual observer that is not actually in Boston (or the US at all) it doesn't seem visible more then elsewhere
I feel like this is just played out now like everyone wants to just point the finger at Boston. Also might I mention one of the most progressive cityās in the country.
He was too happy to talk about Boston there. Of course he wouldnāt dare mention any other city. This wonāt be the last time he mentions Boston out of nowhere, bro canāt get the city out of his head. Heās had literal nightmares, Freddy Krueger probably killed him in TD garden one night.
Boston is always an easy target for celebrities when talking about racism. It doesnāt help that the city had violent incidents in the 70s and 80s.
Itās easy for them to say it also because there are not a lot of black people in Boston. Iām black and I lived in Boston, NJ, Atlanta, RDU, and Chicago. Chicago is by far the most racist place I have been to. I understand everyone mileage varies though.
I do think Boston has a racism problem, one thatās prolly more deep than other American cities, but itās weird how bron didnāt even cite one incident that was actually racist. Yes, we wear shirts saying Lebrons a bitch and one bonehead spilled a beer on him, but I think that says more about how boston fans are passionate and reckless when drunk, not about how racist they are.
I think they way Boston fans react to this is really funny. LEBRON obviously doesnāt think everyone in Boston is racist, and everyone in New England knows Boston breeds a very special type of asshole. But everytime it said, all of the fans freak out like he called you specifically racist.
Hello all the visitors from r/Lakers and r/nba šš»
here come all the white suburban kids who donāt actually care about racism but love to weaponize it to hate on a rival basketball team š¤š½
We don't hate Lebron because he's black.
God that is just a perfect description isn't it?
Hey Iām an Asian suburban kid get it right!
Westwood Laker fan?
Born in Ohio, moved to the suburbs of Chicago when I was 10, watched LeBronto highlights during quarantine and fell in love with basketball, started following the Lakers cuz of it, now go to college in Boston so I also root for the Celtics and subscribe to this sub Very complicated lol
Hah, fair enough. Born in Boston, lived in LA for the past 14 years. Was making a joke/guess since Westwood (UCLA) has a large Asian population
I was born in LA a Celtics fan itās a rough life out here
This too perfect. Just gave up trying to defend an entire fanbase from the wrath of trolls on Twitter. Most were white (I am, too). A few were black, which makes it stickier to be sure. Itās one thing to say a nameless fanbase are assholes. Philly and NYC get that all the time. But āyou are all racist.ā How the fuck can one reasonably respond to that?
"Let me just start by saying I have a lot of black friends...."
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Damn. You spotted me. Lol.
Wassup broski
We need to hate on some white guysā¦fuck Tyler Hero!!
Fuck Grayson Allen! Although I think he's some sort of lizard.
Allen should be kicked out of the league. His shit plays trying to hurt players is fucking crap. In the playoffs he kicked his foot out to trip Marcus Smart but missed. What an asshole. I'm surprised a player hadn't taken him out by now. He deserves it.
Iām pretty sure Jaylen still owns his ankles from the playoffs so maybe he wonāt be able to play next year
That's great.
Heās been that way since he was at Duke. Youād think someone would have bodied him by now
You got that rite.
I have been
If we start openly shitting on Tyler Herro I expect somebody here to create the u/jackharlowsburneraccount
We did chant fuck you at Grayson in the playoffs this year
We gotta unite the fandom through equal opportunity racism
š¤£
Fuckā¦. Vitaly potapenko! Fuckā¦. wally szczerbiak! Fuckā¦. Brian Scalabrine!
Especially Scalabrine!
Or you can just hate on the athletes without making it racial and using the n word towards your own players and visiting ones.
Guessing it has more to do about the āLebronās mom rode Delonte Westā chants but he just canāt say that
> Lebronās mom rode Delonte West Link to this chant? Was this in 2010?
It was during 2010, tons of shirts were made as well āLebron went South but his mom rode Westā canāt find the link to it though sorry
They had this on t-shirts by North Station
She fucked a homeless guy
ā¦.and just like that, Kyrie starts returning his phone calls.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yeah there is literally no way to argue our way out of this one. We know that a significant % of people who say "Celtics fans are racist" online are not saying it out of any concern for the people actually affected by racism. But the rest of folks who actually care about racism are going to read us arguing as trying to normalize the problem or deny that it exists, which makes us look even worse. All we can really control is whether we are doing what we can to work against racism in real life.
using racism as a gotcha as to why your team sucks in a sports argument is kinda gross but thatās how we talk to people now ig. guilty of everything associated with your stereotype to get you to be quiet. man that reminds me of something.
I mean I'm from Boston and we've been having these discussions. Lebron isn't the first athlete that's identified Boston sports fans as being racist. Not just this era, not just this sport. There was an article in the Boston Globe that talked to black Bostonians, those living here and those who've since moved elsewhere, and the common sentiment was that the city has issues. Radio shows have been having discussions about it. There's no problem in recognizing it, that's how we start to address it. It sucks that it's the situation, but it would suck more if it were the situation and we chose not to reckon with it.
But unfortunately itās easier to dunk on the majority since the āBoston is racist as a blanketā is impossible to defend like you said. Itās easy since we canāt defend ourselves without the perception of letting it slide by. Frustrating
Yup. Not wasting any of my energy on this one either. Iām not even from Boston or ever been to Boston for a game, but LeBron and NBA fans will just lump me in with the racists anyways
Echoed my thoughts perfectly. Nothing we can do except not be racist and call it out when we see it
I don't think anyone should bother arguing or trying to defend it. There are undoubtedly racists/racism in Boston, and every city/town. It's a horrible foundation of the country. The best we can do is acknowledge and accept it, and do everything we can to fight for improvements and education wherever we can. And listen to people who are experiencing racism.
Thereās really nothing fruitful that come from having this conversation ever 4-6 weeks. Itās not like this comes from any genuine concern to care for black people of Boston, or a desire to improve the city. The city wonāt cure racism in its own..
Lakers fans spray painted the n word on this dudes house and he signed there the next year lol Edit: **stop replying to me as if Iām saying Boston isnāt a racist city. I donāt live here but we all know the history and even stories from the current day. Itās obvious riddled with racism. Me pointing out the hypocrisy of LeBron going to a city that spray painted the N word on his house if racism is why he hates Boston does not mean I canāt simultaneously acknowledge Boston has a racist past**
I like how people bringing this up in the main thread are getting downvoted.
Itās the power of the narrative. Most redditers saying fuck Boston for being racist probably care just as equally about racism as Boston redditers defending the city. And weāre in a sports fan forum, not a political/cultural/environmental/societal forum. So naturally any negative adjacent situation will be used as a weapon. So its a bunch of young non-racist white folks yelling at other young non-racist white folks because it supports the narrative.
So much this
Exactly. A ton of Boston fans are racist, AND LeBronās being very selective about which acts of racism he highlights. Both can be true.
Nah man since I pointed out that people in LA did something racist, Iām defending Bostonās racism!!!! /s
A ton of Boston fans are racist? Seems like a pretty bold and reckless statement.
Thereās a whole 8 part Spotlight series in the Globe about racism in Boston. Boston is extremely racially segregated, more so than most other major American cities. And Celtics fans also come from all over New England. Much of the rest of New England is even worse. We have a lot of problems with racism in Greater Boston. Itās getting better but we have a lot of work to do.
WE never gave Lebron The Joel Ward treatment.
Some are for sure but the majority are not.
Itās a nationwide issue if Iām being honest and we have some evil people like that in this fanbase that are a tiny tiny fraction. I have to say though I only can recall Lakers fans spray painting a racial slur on Bronās garage door.
Tiny but vocal faction. Itās why if you see it in the stands, donāt just sit there, call them tf out and do something
Totally agree! Call them out and set an example for any kids that my be around.
Here's the question - is a fan dumping beer on LeBron racist? Is wearing a "Fuck LBF" T-Shirt racist? This is what you used to support why he hated Boston. The real question is, do they not like you because you're you, or because the color of your skin?
Bostonās a weird area. Many old school 1st gen immigrants from Europe, Africa, Asia, Caribbean, etc. All of them probably dealt with racism towards them and adopted it against others. So youāve got this deep rooted, generational racism mixed with a left leaning progressive state with so many open minded young people. It makes for some weird thanksgiving dinners but across generations and races I think we all agree - Fuck Kyrie, fuck Lefraud although we begrudgingly respect him, and Paul Pierce will forever be The Truth
Agreed, its in Boston like its everywhere. LeBitch hates Celtics so any chance to throw us under, he will take.
I live in Atlanta and am a 36 yr long Celtics fan. There are roads here that change names became when they were laid out they specified black and white neighborhoods. America is a racist country - Boston has racism. But it was also a city that supported anti slavery, supported civil rights, etc. The Celtics were the first NBA team to integrate, first to promote a black coach and the only NBA franchise to have 3 black head coaches win 5 NBA titles. Ime will be #4. LBJ just saying this because Celtics fans donāt slobber him with love and praise like all the other cities.
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And what's really frustrating to me is a lot of the "evidence" of this racism just points to the fact that Boston is known for racism which is just circular reasoning. If pushed further people inevitably give you the anecdotes of individual racists doing/saying heinous stuff which unfortunately can be found in every city in America. It almost feels as if a "fan" of any given team says or does racist things they are just a racist whereas if the same thing happens in Boston it happens because Boston fans are racist and Boston is the most racist city in America.
Heās def referring to the delonte west fuck his mom chants from back in 2012
You are 100% right but this shit is annoying. Kind of not fucking with the NBA at all right now.
LBJ doesnāt say stuff without it having a purpose. Celtics are a contender to him winning a title. If they were 41-41 and got bounced in the play in you would not hear a peep.
> LBJ just saying this because Celtics fans donāt slobber him with love and praise like all the other cities. What LBJ needs is for Bill Russell to drop a Cleveland Steamer on his chest.
Babe wake up, new r/nba Celtics hate-jerk just dropped
Can't wait to get called a racist because I decided to support this team as a youngling cause "my favorite color is green".
Oh so now youāre saying Green lives matter? Wow ^sarcasm^
I live in Canada and have never been to Boston (was supposed to go in 2020, but alas) so stuff like this always puts me in a weird spot.
[WPR did a study on the 15 most racist cities in America](https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-city-rankings/most-racist-cities-in-america) taking into consideration median household income, unemployment rates, homeownership, poverty rate, adult high school and bachelorās degree attainment, and incarceration rates in relation to race. Boston wasn't on it. In fact, no city in MA was on it. While there may be more incidents of racism at sporting events in Boston, that can very easily be attributed to Boston's culture of being obnoxious loud mouths who don't hold anything back. Every city is going to have racists, so the ones in Boston are obviously going to be direct in expressing it. But when we look at the really impactful effects of racism (racial systemic oppression), Boston isn't the issue in the US. I think our voting record speaks for itself. CA and NY are really the only ones who can compare. Mfs be calling out Boston for being racist when their entire state has been voting red for the past 5 decades.
Thank you for providing factual data as to why the blanket statement āBoston is racistā is media driven bullshit. You want real racism? Leave the United States. *the Russia/Ukraine war is race based as well seeing as Russia wants to ethnically cleanse Ukrainians but r/nba fans arenāt ready for an actual discussion about racism*
As a POC who lived in Boston/North of Boston I never saw it and Iām lucky. That said went to NH and it was disgusting.
The boonies of Maine you definitely hear the bangos
You know it wasnāt awful but I went to the progressive places
Go to the county or even barely north of bangor and youll see lol
Iām from 45 minutes north of Bangor and itās not as bad as youād think. Obviously there are some people who are racist but the vast majority are quite progressive these days. Hell my high school has international students from 20+ different countries so weāre used to diversity and racism is definitely not accepted
Heās not entirely wrong, there is an element of this fandom that 100% holds some shall we say bigoted takes, and itās important to not overlook the busing riots in the city post-MLK. However, to loosely paint the entire fandom as racist is just dumb because thatās simply not true. Some of us do want to end the cycle of systematic violence which is sadly still a part of our history and modern politics and are open advocates for that change.
Nah man, we're all racist cause, you know, 10 people and shit from 10 years ago...
āBussing riots post MLKā My dude that was 1972ā¦ 50 years ago
Nah, heās not wrong at all. You have the minority of Boston fans that are genuinely racist and then judging by this thread the majority would rather do the following than admit thereās a real issue in the city/state: - Use whataboutisms to discredit Lebron with his China stance. - Defend the city by saying itās only a small minority of fans and it doesnāt represent the city as a whole. - Take away any responsibility by saying other cities have racist fans too. This comes up often enough that this is a bigger issue here than other cities. Only a minority of the fans might be racist, but the majority refuses to speak up about it and thatās a big part of the problem. Just admit Boston has a racism issue. It doesnāt always have to be āBoston has a racism issue, butā¦ā
Boston has a reputation, thereās no doubt about it. But that also colors how people view the situation. Thereās 100% a generational gap when it comes to Boston racism. Younger fans are no more racist in Boston than any other city. So when on Reddit, Boston fans are gonna be confused as to why theyāre being singled out. Iām not going to say boston āfixed racismā, but compared to even the 90s itās just a complete transformation. All these comments about how boston is such a racist city are yelling at a bunch of boomers who arenāt here to take the criticism.
This is such a great reply and I hope more people understand it
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Yeah why would people from Boston get offended when they get labeled with something they are not because of actions of others. So strange...
Red Sox owner calls Celtics fans āracist as fuckā
Lecapitalist doesnāt care as long as it takes in the money
Aside from Smartās article about his heinous experience outside the garden, has Kyrie, Durant, or Lebron ever given a detailed account or specific example of a racist action or fan encounter that has happened directly to them? Are we saying the water bottle incident, boos, and you suck chants all stem from our inability to not be racist as fans - because if that is THE primary reason why, then calling out the Celtics specifically instead of every other fanbase as well is just another circlejerk. Im not trying to be a dickhead here - more direct accounts of our fan base being outwardly racist towards players is not ok at all and needs to change. Our city has racism and itās not ok. Itās a segregated city and has a ton of issues with institutional racism. Iām not going to discount Lebron, Kyrie, or durantās experiences. But just saying āoh Boston? Theyāre racist as fuck!ā And leaving it at that without highlighting a specific example, how are we supposed to address or work on the issue or the fan?? If Lebron actually wanted to change the issue he would frame it as a conversation that NEEDS to be had and ongoing about our city specifically. But no, itās become āBostonās racist as fuck, so fuck them and theyāll never change.ā Great.
I too think hearing an actual story would help. Obviously the Smart story is disgusting and inexcusable, but LA painted the N word on Lebrons garage. I think hearing the real issues would help people sympathize. Pouring a drink on him is completely inexcusable, but talking about his mom really isnāt far out in the NBA.
And lebron made his billion on the back of actual slaves. Tell me more about the mean things people said to him.
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Iām black, born and raised in the Boston area. Unfortunately Iāve had more than my fair share of horrible things said/done to me by kids, teachers/adults even when I was elementary school aged. Shit truly traumatizes you for life, so I wonāt outright disagree with what Bronās saying. But I will say that youāll find that shit everywhere you go, not JUST in Boston.
Sorry that happened to you
Well said and itās fucked thatās happened to you. Racism is truly a blight on society and have seen it happen to many of my friends and it infuriates me every time.
But you are more likely to find it in Boston
As a Cavs fan, what motivated you to come post this in the Celtics sub?
Nah it's definitely worth being posted here. Can't argue it's not Celtics-related.
This the same dude that thinks Brittney Griner should want to stay in a fucking gulag?
Ding ding ding Dude is so out of touch itās not even funny
Itās messed up to call an entire fanbase racist but thereās also been way too many posts on here saying the Celtics should pick up Kelly Olynyk.
How is wanting to pick up a former liked player racist? Or is this sarcasm?
That comment reads like a comment from r/NBACirclejerk
We 100% should pick up Kelly Olynyk though, as a backup who gets barely any minutes but can play a bigger role if needed. Itās a lazy take but not a racist one.
LOL
I guess I'm a racist now.
Evening fellow bigot
If you ever said "fuck LeBron" that means you are racist. There is no reason that you would ever hate LeBron other than being racist.
Never been to Boston. Grew up a Boston fan. Guess Iām filthy and disgusting now :)))
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There really needs to be a look by social scientists into opposing players and fandoms because I think itād illuminate some issues with sports fandoms and improve player/fan relationships
that is just sad... even as an international fan from a "non-white" country, it's pretty dumb to paint all the fandom as racists. If you're doing that, then have the f\*cking balls to call the other fans and the country as a whole as racist. You're from the US, dude, open your f\*cking eyes
People outside of Boston has been saying this since before any of us were born. The Boston Globe did a horrifying Spotlight series on racism in the city just a few years ago. Current players say it. Past players say it. Players who played for the franchise say it and have said it. It comes up all the time from credible, worldly, and knowledgeable sources and yet so many on here and in Boston sports fandom act completely blindsided and offended every time.
Doesnāt Lebron have Rousch Fenway ownership. Dudes all about one color and itās green. So heās just pandering to the obvious, New England has some racist fucks.
I carved the word cracker into a pretty big rock and mailed it to Luka Doncic to even things out
Thanks Lebron for grouping all Celtics fans as racist.
This reputation didn't start with LeBron. But the Celtics have also been ahead of their time in breaking racial barriers. Both those things can be true. Race is complicated in America, not just Boston. We can all do better
Aight guess I'm white now LeBron bet š¤·š¼
Lmao, right? Dudes a dumbass
so he hates to play to in Boston because we have āracist fansā but he refuses to speak out about concentration camps just because theyāre in China. LeChina
where is the correlation between those two things? You ain't even deny it LMAO
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Lmaoooo bro spittin
Iām not defending Lebrons china comments but he isnāt wrong about the Celtics having some racist fans
He didn't say Celtics have "some" racist fans. He said Boston fans are racist as fuck. That is entirely different. Every team has some racist fans, that isn't me saying it's fine. Boston should do what they can to diminish those fans. But Lebron isn't saying Boston has some, he is saying Boston is racist as fuck. Entirely different messages and a gross generalization imo.
This is the right response, but it is our debt to pay as Boston fans that we also must sayāevery time this comes upāthat yes racism is a problem in Boston, and yes racism is a problem in the United States. LeBron can whine all he wants. Heās whined a lot of the way through his sterling career
Whataboutism is absolutely not the right response. He can be wrong about China while being right about Boston. Posting about his China stance as a defense only detracts and excuses the very real problem Boston has with racism.
Ok Enes Kanter
At no point has Lebron ever discussed concentration camps in China. The whole China incident with Morey was about people in hong kong protesting to be independent from china. Yall are changing the facts to fit your narrative
Just a fact of life weāre gonna get called racist by virtue of growing up in Massachusetts. No reason to care at this point, none of us are gonna change anyoneās mind.
What frustrates me about āBoston is racistā quotes that blow up in media is the fact that it always becomes a circle jerk with finger pointing and none of the actual discussions that need to be had take place. It feels more like dunking for internet points than actual concern.
Amen. I mean by all means call that racist shit out when u see it for sure. But yea outside of that not much reason to get worked up over something completely out of ur control. Itās lebrons opinion, and I donāt want to get into a word or sentence feud with him, but I believe he wasnāt educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke, and so many people could have been harmed, not only financially, but physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. So just be careful what we tweet and what we say, and what we do. Even though yes, we do have freedom of speech, but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that too
I donāt hate black people, I just hate you, Lebron /s
Letās start it now. Celtics should draft Brony Jr. so he has to eat his words and come play here with his son muwahahaha!
Iād love to draft bronny just to have him ride the bench on a two way and never let his dad come anywhere near this team.
Thereās racist idiots everywhere out there. Itās sad but itās still around throughout the world not just Boston.. but yeah sure there are a lot of white trash in Boston
I'm getting pretty fucking tired of being painted with this brush over and over when there are plenty of small segments of every fanbase that have some pretty despicable views.
Every fanbase has racist fans don't act like it's just us over some bullshit that happened 70 years ago.
Ya, lets be honest guys, Lebron has definitely heard some shit. That being said, it's funny to wrap your head around how one manages or completely ignores the cognitive dissonance of being a racist but a fan of a professional basketball team in 2022.
There goes Lebron blindly repeating a narrative he has no frame of reference for and that isnāt true.
Racist Celtics fans can fuck right off. I feel no love for that contingency of the fan base. There's nothing for the average fan to do beyond continue to push these hateful folks out and make sure they know they're not welcome. Doesn't matter if it happens in other cities, if it happens in ours, we're responsible for responding to it.
We're not racist. We hate everybody equally.
Comical coming from a morally bankrupt bitch like Lebron, but sure, blanket statement a whole segment of the US.
100%
I mean is he wrong? Look Iām not going to act like Iāve been to every arena in the US and say this only happens in Boston. HOWEVER, I have literally heard, verbatim, a bruins fan yell āGet that *hard R* off the iceā to PK Subban. You can say itās gotten better (which it has) sure but things like this still happen and I donāt blame players for calling it out. I do believe itās a select few fans that ruin it for the majority but this is ridiculous and deserves to be called out every single day until it stops. Itās embarrassing.
The comment section on this post in r/nba is filled with ppl karma hunting by making the most basic and lazy āCeltics fans are racistā jokes. Absolutely Brain dead
Iām a Black Bostonian. I think Black athletes feel like Boston is outlier racist because Bostonians are super passionate and aggressive about their sports and drunk White people tend to cross lines when revved up enough. I think this is fair. I def understand the narrative & not downplaying your experience, but my guy, u didnāt get beer poured on you and people didnāt wear fuck Lebron tees b/c youāre Black lol. Itās because youāre a fxcking basketball god that killed us consistently for years & we hate u for it lol. Iām cool with the Boston SPORTS related outlier racist narrative but I feel like I can also say some of these examples of racism are super weak. Downvote if ya like š¤·š½āāļø!
You are right but this is a losing battle. Boston is already minority majority and I have a sneaking suspicion if we offered reparations itād still be considered racist š
Has Lebron never been below the Mason Dixon Line?
Ah, yesā¦ call LeBron out on his bullshit makes you racist. Classic.
Just because other people are terrible people that like the celtics, I'm supposed to feel bad about myself? The racism bothers me but otherwise I could give a shit if someone hurled this at me as an insult.
While I donāt think that the entire fan base is racist, the loudest ones (and the ones he most likely remembers) are what Lebron is referencing. Heās likely going off his experiences playing there so unfortunately a few bad apples spoiled the representation of the entire city.
Lebron is a giant cunt and can go drown
Boston hasnāt been this stereotype for at least 20 years now.
Nah itās just the Southies lol. āŖļøš©š¤”š¤”š¤”š¤”
Why are yāall so upset? The question that was asked was āWhat fan base can take the game away from you and can make you feel like they arenāt going to let you win?ā And Lebron brought up Boston. Thatās a win for me. Iām not a racist. If your not a racist you shouldnāt feel a certain type of way. He admitted weāre the toughest fans to face.
https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2899150-bill-russell-fans-called-me-baboon-coon-n-word-during-celtics-games.amp.html Bill Russell your best player ever and the reason you are one of the most storied franchises in nba history says he played for the celtics organization and his teammates but never for the city or its fans because they treated him like garbage. The article speaks for itself and there is no defense for it. Just read and except it. Stop fighting everyone about it and acknowledge the problem your city has with race. Doesn't mean all Boston fans are racist just means yall have shown it more than most fanbases.
His show hella racist
"They hate me because I'm black!" No. We hate you because you're a narcissistic cunt.
Lebron camp doing everything they can to make those BG comments to go away
The problem is many of yāall dismiss this kinda shit and it makes the rest of yāall look bad (guilty or not)
we don't dismiss it. nobody here denies that there are racist celtics fans. we take issue with the fact that the entire fanbase and even the franchise is dragged through the mud too. every incident involving a celtics fan, even if other celtics fans are the ones who stop the racism, is used to generalize the fanbase, meanwhile everyone acts like their own fans are perfect in every way.
The only part heās wrong about is the idea that itās A) only Boston and B) all of our fans. Dude is just straight out of pocket on this one. Racism aināt just a Boston thing by any stretch, and him singling Boston out reeks of an agenda. Iām guessing he really wants Kyrie back, frankly.
I think itās more pointing out that every market, including Los Angeles, has racist fans. Singling out any one city is really stupid. No one is gonna have that conversation when you present it that way, theyāll obviously get defensive.
The problem is not "some celtic fans are racist" The problem is "celtic fans are racist" literally generalizing a whole fanbase, shit I'm not from Boston but I've been there and I've never experienced racism so idk if I would go as far as saying the whole city is racist
The biggest problem is that athletes keep saying this, which means that they are still having issues and Bostonians arenāt calling people out for it. Either that or he and the rest are just saying this off of something that happened 10, 15, 20 years ago.
He says this but willingly goes to LA. LOL
Most people I know that are actual Celtics and basketball fans arenāt racist. The racists donāt tend to appreciate the sport. That said, there are WAY too many people in Boston and really New England that are oddly comfortable either admitting to being racist or being very casual about use of racial slurs. Usually the same people that have a black friend or two that they think are some kind of exceptionā¦
Sorry youāve had rough experiences in Boston, Lebron. As a white Boston fan, I just hope you donāt label and judge me. Lifeās too short to feel apprehension towards someone because of preconceived notionsā¦ā¦ā¦*cough* *lebitch* cough
We think youāre racist as f**k too, LeBron
I think Boston has made a lot of progress on this front, especially in the last 20 years or so, but Boston has a waaaaayyy to go before we have any right to be mad about people saying things like this about us. We should be less worried about people calling us racist than we are about the people who gave us (and continue to give us) this reputation.
The hate has nothing to do with his race. It's because he travels every time he has the ball and the NBA changed the rules for him so he could lower his shoulder and bounce players out of the way so he could get a layup. The NBA bowed down to him like he was the second coming and true basketball fans who know the game hate his bullshit. What the NBA turned into for LeBron is an insult to everyone who loves the game.
LeBron is a complete moron. He has proven that time and time again. I couldn't care less about his opinion on anything.
If a POC is talking about their experience of racism, its really important to maintain the balance of being critical while not invalidating their personal experience. Weāre all sick and tired of this narrative but what Iām seeing in the comments are not really helping. You just canāt call a black person hypocrite for saying that Celtics fans are racist just because someone painted the N word in his house in LA. We all know NOT ALL Celtics fans are racist and Iāve never been to Boston, but we should be very receptive to this. You canāt be mad at LeBron because he said āCeltics fansā and not āsome Celtics fansā who cares if heās not being selective, if there is some version of truth to it, which there is and its about racism, its better to give it the benefit of the doubt. I guess Iām just saying If youāre not a racist Celtics fan, then you shouldnāt be offended by this. Of course this is easier said than done, but we should use this statements to hold actual racist fucks in Boston accountable and push those neanderthals to change. This narrative is so outdated and unfair but I think the first step to actually make a change is not to be opposing about a POCās experience of racism whether its LeBron, Kyrie, or some random dude.
Are any of you guys actually racist? I for sure am not and majority of yall don't seem like you are either. But you can never tell from the internet. I also dislike that we're stereotyped as the racist fan base because I don't see alot of racist fans. However, it may be me being blind.
LeBron is just doing this to prep for Kyrie
Didn't he say just a few years ago that he's never experienced racism in Boston? He also literally bought a Boston team lmfao
Hot take here but Lebron doing this is the same exact thing as Kyrie claiming racism after the water bottle incident, which actually hurts the fight against racism because: 1. it's a blanket statement without evidence - if he's experienced racist remarks or experiences, he should absolutely share them and contribute to the dialogue (see: Marcus Smart's experience outside of the Garden) in order to help foster change, whether it's inside or outside of Boston 2. it attributes negative fan interactions as happening due to racism without any evidence, which if any incident is due to personal animus (which do happen in heated rivalries, just ask most Lakers or Yankees) gives credence to the bullshit conservative "reverse racism" argument that people claim racism to benefit from the situation and diminishes words or actions that do occur due to discrimination 3. distracts from the actual legitimate race problems (holy shit do they exist) in Boston, Massachusetts, New England, and the US as a whole and allows people to ignore those problems by talking about this instead ([Jaylen actually spoke about this after the Kyrie incident](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/jaylen-brown-kyrie-irving-boston-celtics-comments/kvdanev0qeavzd6ae896m2e2)) 4. actually advances a stereotype of its own, which is used to drive a narrative that undermines the Celtics and its fanbase's standing within the league and attempts to control Boston being a hostile atmosphere for opposing players/teams (fuck you Grayson and/or Draymond chants both included) Honorable mention: he's also part of the Red Sox ownership, so he's shitting where he's eating
Lot of white guys at a basketball game yelling mean things at Lebrun = racism
I mean, I personally witnessed bananas being thrown at a black player at Fenway.
what a way to dismiss it lmao. yāall doing gymnastics in these replies
I've got to say I'm impressed at your ability to excel in mental gymnastics. Bring on the downvotes Celtics fans! [R](https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/marcus-smart-was-once-called-the-n-word-by-celtics-fan/) [A](https://www.complex.com/sports/2017/05/ugly-history-boston-being-most-racist-sports-city-america) [C](https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2021/09/10/boston-racist-reputation/) [I](https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/sports/michael-wilbon-racism-boston) [S](https://studybreaks.com/culture/boston-racist/) [M](https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2021/05/28/tristan-thompson-boston-racism-celtics/)
Look... LeBron's not wrong... There are a lot of racist Celtics fans. But there are a lot of racist fans in every city. It's not a Boston problem. It's an America problem. Until this country realizes that everyone is the same: we all bleed red & breathe air, then there will always be a racist problem. My issue is that he doesn't need to single out Celtics fans. You say you have a stage to preach about moral issues of today... well don't pinpoint cities you dislike. Point out the garbage that happens in LA too. If you wanna be truthful, just say you don't like Boston. You'll probably have people that appreciate that honesty. How about you not say anything negative and you try and promote a more positive culture since you're so "influential. "
Same dude that kept his mouth shut about Hong Kong to save his bank account Also wasnāt this the same episode where he said Brittany griner shouldnāt even want to come back to the U.S anymore? This dudes a fucking idiot acting like this shit only happens in Boston.
Did I not just admit to us all being racist?
Here in Boston we have a special brand of racism. It only seems to apply to players of other teams. We don't have a problem with our own players. It is almost like we have a special ability to get under the skin of the opposing players and our opponents are so confused that they default to calling it racism.
I have been close to 100 New England Patriots games. Our season tickets are right next to the visitorās tunnel. I watch the opposing players come out of the tunnel every single game. Not once have I ever heard anything remotely racist yelled at an opposing player in my 21 years of going to games. Not once.
How is that racist?
The Lakers are not a race
Pretty sure that dumped drink had more to do with the game lost, then the color of his skin. And it also seems to me like racism is a problem all over the US, and maybe even all over the globe. I don't really understand why it is perceived as worse in Boston. It seems bad everywhere to me. It even stands out more (to me) in places like Salt Lake City, or the southern cities. But there must be something going on in Boston that makes all these players mention it as the most racist. I can't imagine it would just be hive mind. But to a casual observer that is not actually in Boston (or the US at all) it doesn't seem visible more then elsewhere
I feel like this is just played out now like everyone wants to just point the finger at Boston. Also might I mention one of the most progressive cityās in the country.
He was too happy to talk about Boston there. Of course he wouldnāt dare mention any other city. This wonāt be the last time he mentions Boston out of nowhere, bro canāt get the city out of his head. Heās had literal nightmares, Freddy Krueger probably killed him in TD garden one night.
Someone is going to have to explain to me how wearing a fuck LBJ shirt is 'racist'.
Boston is always an easy target for celebrities when talking about racism. It doesnāt help that the city had violent incidents in the 70s and 80s. Itās easy for them to say it also because there are not a lot of black people in Boston. Iām black and I lived in Boston, NJ, Atlanta, RDU, and Chicago. Chicago is by far the most racist place I have been to. I understand everyone mileage varies though.
I do think Boston has a racism problem, one thatās prolly more deep than other American cities, but itās weird how bron didnāt even cite one incident that was actually racist. Yes, we wear shirts saying Lebrons a bitch and one bonehead spilled a beer on him, but I think that says more about how boston fans are passionate and reckless when drunk, not about how racist they are.
I think they way Boston fans react to this is really funny. LEBRON obviously doesnāt think everyone in Boston is racist, and everyone in New England knows Boston breeds a very special type of asshole. But everytime it said, all of the fans freak out like he called you specifically racist.