(ThyBlackMan.com) The past two weeks have been some of the most socially and politically charged weeks in American history. Police brutality protests and discussion have been at the forefront in not just the United States but the world. Virtually every state in America and many countries across the world have participated in police brutality protests that have made this a significant point in history. Unsurprisingly, major sports figures have been part of the discussion. Athletes are participating in protests and having discussions with their coaches and fellow athletes that go beyond sports.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees became infamous for his comments about “disrespecting the flag” and Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio’s comments about the lack of “racism” in the NFL caused new discussions about white privilege, racism, and relations between white and black sports figures. Several sports teams issued statements of various degrees related to George Floyd’s murder by Minnesota police but there has been one notable sports team that has been silent: the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks ranked fifth on the Forbes’ list of “The World’s 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2019.” Ranking fifth in sports franchise value ahead of all other NBA franchises and all other NFL franchises except the Dallas Cowboys is an big plus for the New York Knicks. The owner of the Knicks, James L. Dolan, has been the target of jokes for years because the
Knicks have been a bad team on and off the court more often than not since he took over the Knicks in 1999. During Dolan’s tenure, the Knicks have had a myriad of head coaches and players while trying to lure big name free agents like LeBron James and Kevin Durant over the years. Dolan has also hired numerous black men as head coach of the Knicks including Lenny Wilkens, Mike Woodson,and Isiah Thomas. During the 2000s, Dolan was also famously patient in letting Thomas run the Knicks in the front office that was bad in numerous ways.
In recent years, the New York Knicks have had a black-led NBA front office and had another black head coach in David Fizdale. Based on those hiring practices, it may have been surprising that the Knicks were one of only two NBA teams not to issue a public statement following the killing of George Floyd. Earlier this month, Knicks owner James L. Dolan reportedly sent an internal email to Madison Square Garden employees about the lack of the public statement from the Knicks and it said, “We know that some of you have asked about whether our company is going to make a public statement about the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. I want you to know, I realize the importance of this issue. Therefore, I want you to understand our internal position. This is a turbulent time in our country. The coronavirus and civil unrest have taken their toll on our way of life. We at Madison Square Garden stand by our values of respect and peaceful workplace. We always will. As companies in the business of sports and entertainment, however, we are not any more qualified than anyone else to offer our opinion on social matters.”
It is notable that James L. Dolan tried to clarify that stance one day later by issuing a memo that read, “Yesterday, I made a sincere attempt to provide my perspective on a very difficult issue, one that has no easy answers. I know how important this topic is to so many, and I don’t want there to be any confusion about where I stand as an individual, or we as a company stand. So let me be clear: we vehemently condemn and reject racism against anyone, period. It is against every value we hold dear.” Unfortunately, it is too little too late. Since the Knicks as an organization were quiet following the killing of George Floyd that speaks louder than any secondary statement. It would benefit Dolan to take heed to Angela Davis’ quote, “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be antiracist.”
Staff Writer; Mark Hines
