How is it possible that a particular race can be so accepted in the arena of popular entertainment and sports, yet the American populous still does not have a homogeneous attitude toward the black athletes that make professional sports in America so popular?

Beyond the audience that directly watches professional sports, the rest of America is still influenced by athletes w

The statements about Iverson sum up the image of blackness today. Iverson's career choices on and off of the court are solely his. He is the only person to blame for his flawed persona. With the help of the Hip-Hop movement, blackness has emerged as a means for black society to show that it no longer values the ideals of being black during the civil rights movement and during the times of the desegregation of baseball, where being black meant having a sense of pride about who you are, not about how black and "iced out" you are.

"So when A.I., who has a five year old daughter, busts a rhyme about his desire to 'kill and f--- bitches,' that ain't him really flowin'. It's his MC alter ego - whom Iverson calls 'Jewelz' - keeping it real by rhymin' about all the wack shiznit that a playa sees everyday on the mean, clean, privately maintained streets in the gated communities of suburban Illadelph. YouknowwhatI'msayin'? [Sic]"

ho pose as role models and cultural icons in America. The negative aspect of black culture in the eyes of the public, or blackness, is regarded as a threat to the integrity of the professional sports leagues and to America as a whole. Blackness, as defined by popular culture is an African American's attitude such that he or she is extremely overt in the eyes of the public by emphasizing his or her race as opposed to skill. By wearing corn-rows or an afro haircut or preaching against white society, a black athlete can come to be seen in a negative light by the public, which in general, has its children propped in front of a television watching black super-athletes dunk the ball and walk off the court to put on a platinum pendant studded with 63 diamonds. This hypocrisy stands regardless of color of the viewer, because in our postmodern era, blackness has come to be associated with violence and the "gangsta" lifestyle. The truth is that the blackness of yore, where an athlete fought for black equality, no longer exists.

Iverson, at that time would have been the worst choice to be the first African American in the majors. His behavior would have by far exceeded any of Robinson's actions. It could be postulated that Iverson would have spat back into the faces in the crowd and showed little or no respect for the game. Although Robinson's actions were considered extreme, Iverson in the same context would have taken extreme to a new level. It is for this reason that Josh Gibson was never signed to play in the majors.

With this said about modern blackness, it is necessary to look at the polar opposite of characters such as Iverson. When one's black identity is completely lost, a colorless product of the almighty dollar is formed. Epitomizing this scenario is the greatest basketball player ever...or at least on the court. Michael Jordan, regardless of his "sellout" nature, is the largest role model in modern sports. Not since Babe Ruth have children and adults alike been so empowered by the strict on-court performance and commercial value of an athlete. For all practical purposes, there a few obvious reasons for Michael Jordan's success as a persuasive communicator to the public, black, white, and Hispanic, alike. He was, after all, the hottest player in the NBA -- his is name mentioned in the same breath with basketball greats such as Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Irving, and Magic Johnson. With a 6'6" frame -- about an inch shorter than the average NBA player--he soars up, around, and above his opponents, always with his universally recognized tongue hanging out. Whenever he graces the courts, he astounds audiences with his mid-air mastery. We are all familiar with many of his successes and each of them serves as at least one elemental persuader. During his college career, Jordan was twice chosen College Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-American. He was the leading scorer on the American team that won the gold medal at the Pan American games in 1983, and co-captain of the te

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3041
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)