Great post Bomani on the issue.

Great post Bomani on the issue.

Great post Bomani on the issue.

This was a very good read. There should be more black bloggers in the sport media field because not only it gives some freshness to the things we read on a daily basis, but it can actually help and attract more eyes to read. Reading blogs from just a majority white point of view does nothing for this reader. I’m going to assume that they are so concerned about controversy when it comes to race, that they are being weary about who they hire (i.e. minorities). Expanding new media to more minorities can actually help the recession issue in sports and can bring more jobs to young and aspiring writers.

This was a very good read. There should be more black bloggers in the sport media field because not only it gives some freshness to the things we read on a daily basis, but it can actually help and attract more eyes to read. Reading blogs from just a majority white point of view does nothing for this reader. I’m going to assume that they are so concerned about controversy when it comes to race, that they are being weary about who they hire (i.e. minorities). Expanding new media to more minorities can actually help the recession issue in sports and can bring more jobs to young and aspiring writers.

This was a very good read. There should be more black bloggers in the sport media field because not only it gives some freshness to the things we read on a daily basis, but it can actually help and attract more eyes to read. Reading blogs from just a majority white point of view does nothing for this reader. I’m going to assume that they are so concerned about controversy when it comes to race, that they are being weary about who they hire (i.e. minorities). Expanding new media to more minorities can actually help the recession issue in sports and can bring more jobs to young and aspiring writers.

Great points! The sports media world is dominated by middle aged white men, which is funny considering all things.

As someone who attended BWB3 in Chicago, the comment referencing having enough black folks in attendance to play spades is quite accurate. I’ve known some black bloggers to actually “hide” their face on twitter/facebook to give prospective readers the chance to just appreciate their work for what it is…work, regardless of color.

I’ve been blogging on ETSF for over three years, and I’ve been blogging for a nationally-recognized basketball publication for 18+ months. The grind is real, but I still holdout hope that more opportunity will come. Folks have to begin seeing the light or create their own avenues, its the only way.

I have so many thoughts. I will probably write my own post once I flesh them out. I like your theory about the fans being white. People tend to like to hear from people like themselves, so there’s validity there. In terms of trying to reach white males, every company on earth is trying to reach the pot of gold: white males between the ages of 18-34. So it fits that many of these new media guys will belong in that demo. And, no, they don’t want to alienate them. So, they get young white male writers to do things like tie in sports to hip hop and that sort of thing which brings in enough of an “urban” element to keep it interesting.

To add to that, to be successful at new media you really have to have entrepreneurial spirit and look at how white men dominate that landscape across all industries. A number of reasons for this (from sheer numbers to the higher degree of white access to…well…everything). But to use a sports example, who would have thought that Markos Moulitsas would go from his break out site Daily Kos to co-founding SB Nation.

Last point, a lot of popular black bloggers have made their mark based on black issues. Black gossip blogs blew up in 2005/2006 because there really was no place to go online to JUST hear about black celebrities. Now there’s lots of VERY successful hair blogs, political blogs, music blogs etc etc but their demographic is almost entirely black by design.

Black bloggers are out there, and I do think that there is a hesistancy by mainstream to accept/pursue them. But I wonder how aggressively black bloggers are targeting the mainstream with their pitches? With linking back? On twitter alone I see a lot of black bloggers who’ve known each other for years and they link back and support each other, but very rarely do I see them engage with white sports writers and the like. Where is the relationship building taking place? Do those folks who go to NABJ go to SPJ? Something to think about.

All in all, I’d love to see the mainstream value the black perspective and seek it. But given the landscape there really isn’t any incentive to do so.

Full disclosure: I DO have a sports blog, football to be exact, however both my race and gender are closely guarded secrets!

I hope your next post is about the scarcity of women in sports media of all kinds–especially ones that give opinions rather than simply report. I mean, you’re open to suggestions for posts right! lol

As a female, black sport’s blogger, I have to be honest and say I didn’t pay alot of attention to what was already in the Market. I focused on presenting sports my own way and finding a new niche. So far, it’s working. I’ve been linked by Complex, Yahoo’s “Ball Don’t Lie”, ProBasketball Talk and others. And while many will point to my posts on Basketball Wives and the like and try to lump me in as a gossip blog, I say that there are a group of sports fans who enjoy the game from both the on court/on field perspective as well as off. I provide both and it’s working.

I think at times we get caught up in what hasn’t been done before instead of just focusing on doing it and being professional in our pursuit of “it”. By that I mean, do your homework, try other avenues, the “typical sport’s fan” might be a middle age white guy but they aren’t the ONLY fan. And obviously we understand the make up of leagues like the NFL and NBA, that’s an advantage. Make it work for you. Think outside the box and see where that gets you.

I think once you move away from allowing those bigger sites to define how and what is a legitimate sport’s site, you’ll see that there’s room for so much more and it’s wide open for the taking.

If they won’t let me in the front door, I’m climbing through the window

Dude, you hit the proverbial nail. I’ve wondered about this for years and years. Number 1, I do think the writing for free aspect is a difference-maker. To what extent varies but generally, at least with the Black writers that I know, writing/working for free is dead. (I don’t know how many Black writers there are with legacy money but it can’t be that many). Number 2, as far as basketball sites go, they are generally devoid of color even more so than just general sports blogs. That seems especially ridiculous in my eyes but..there you have it. Number 3, as a Philly sports fan myself (not the Flyers, i’m 100 Percent hockey free) the Black fans are negative too so that situation isn’t race based but the cliched media fan is often portrayed as a cursing White dude. Its always been like that. Marketing wise, an angry Black dude still gives some people the shakes.

“It’s a white industry. I just don’t see that many black people in new media.”

*dead*

From my own experiences, I could substitute the term “new media” with “modeling” or “PR.”

As a model it was common for my runway booker to say, “They’re only booking one black girl” or “They feel they have enough black girls for the show.”

In my PR classes the professors often teach in terms of a white-centric world, and I don’t even think they realize it.

So why should the sports blogosphere be any different?

As black sports bloggers we are just as polarized in this arena as our counterparts often are in others (fashion, technology, politics, music, movies, television) yet, from a cultural aspect we often drive and lead the direction of these industries.

Most things hip derive from our culture. That is no secret. In sports, it is no different. As bloggers/journalists, we are more likely to have grown up next door to the mainstream fans favorite athlete than anyone else. So why is it that our voices, and our authentic perspectives are ignored (well, they really aren’t, they are just not publicly acknowledged) when what we can offer and bring to the table is often times as real as it gets.

Jill is right in that we must continue to blaze our own trails (which in a historical context is mandatory) and J Dan is right that we must do a better job of targeting broader opportunities.

Bomani, thanks for the post.

While I do think this is a noteworthy discussion to have, and Bomani I thank you for bringing awareness to the topic, I don’t think the lack of diversity in the black blogosphere is any different than what’s seen in the overall industry. From the front office of leagues and teams, down to the people who report the news, blacks (and women) have always been last to have a seat at the table. And considering that it took a while for mainstream media, teams, and leagues to embrace blogging as a reputable source of “new” media to begin with, this trend is par for the course.

Also, you do raise a good point about how the majority profess to serve the fan while defining said fan as a white middle age male. If the media truly made an effort to redefine that antiquated definition, then maybe they’d also be more interested in promoting diversity of thought and voices which span gender and race. But, because it’s still feared that we’ll “get extra black on em”, rather than offer thoughtful and intelligent insight, it’s going to be a while before our opinions are sought and respected on a national level.

But, on the flip side, we must continue the daily grind of fighting to be heard, even if that does mean that a white media source must “validate” us until there are enough of us to infiltrate the system and effect change from the inside.

Thanks again for writing this. It was great!

Great points another big issue is it’s just hard hard to start a blog, hard to build up your views all that. But anything worth having is worth working for right. It’s also a crabs in a barrel mentality. Folks would love to know how to get ads on pages, how to get revenue for hits, get views up a lot of us ain’t sharing those secrets so a lot of blogs look like crap might be great writing but if the site sucks who is really going to go there.
In this media game you have to want to try to help someone get on if you are already on and then when you do get on you have to remember were you came from. A lot of folks don’t give credit, steal ideas and then you wonder why there are never any link backs to were the article or quote came from. On twitter there are list for everything why don’t we start one for black sports blog sites, that should be a start in the right direction.

your blog please Jill. thanks

Great points made by all. It is, or at least should be, public knowledge by now that the numbers of Black journalist in the mainstream media (especially broadcast) continues to shrink.

The unfortunate truth is, as J Dan indicated, no one feels Blacks are a necessary commodity anymore. At one time, at least I felt, there was a need to hire Black journalist to speak to the Black athlete for the reader/viewer. There was a cultural barrier that existed coming out of the 60s and 70s where Black athletes were not very trusting of white journalist. I can’t imagine a white journalist being all that thrilled with going into Harlem, South Bronx or any tough Black neighborhood to do a story in those days. Once Black athletes became fixtures at predominately white campuses the need for access diminished. And thanks to cable tv, the internet, Eminem, and the mainstreaming of hip hop young white males have garnered just enough feel for Black culture to keep the vernacular inthe piece current.

What I am seeing now is a slow sweeping ramp up of Latino journalists. And for the same reasons. They speak the language and are trusted by the ever growing spanish speaking communities in this country.

So what do we do now? IvoryT made a good suggestion. I happen to publish CORE 360, a sports mag-ezine. Right now I am the sole financial supporter of the publication. Content is provided by other photographers and writers that I have met along the way. We have far more photographers than writers, something that I would like to change to 50-50. I would like to work with any of you that are currently blogging. Recognition for the publication is growing across the leagues and collegiate conferences. Last year, we were credentialed for the Gator, Chick-fil A, Capital One, and Champs Sports Bowls. This year our staff has covered the USA Outdoor Track and Field championships, AMA Superbike, NFL and NBA. What makes the magazine unique is that I can include hyperlinks that will drive readers to your blogs.

Check it out for yourself at http://www.core360m.com. Expect a call Bo.

For me, the biggest concern is that hypothetically, there are no barriers to entry in the blogging world. There’s no racist CEO to stop a black blogger from getting his own blogspot site or uploading his own video. So the question is, given that the typical barriers to black voices getting heard hypothetically don’t exist in the new media world, why aren’t we hearing from more black voices?

There also seems to be an element of what plagues the black community in some many other areas–those who have “made it,” or gotten any measure of notice, seem to want to be the only “special” ones and don’t make any effort to help bring others along with them in their success/notice.

JocksandStilettojill.com

I see what you’re saying. But sports gossip/news blogs are entirely different from sports commentary/analysis blogs. I just don’t see them as the same at all.

One thing that differentiates sports analysis/commentary versus the other topics that black bloggers blew up on is that they only covered black people whereas good sports blogging is going to cover everyone. What good is a tennis blog that only pays attention to the Williams sisters and Donald Young? What good is a baseball blog that only covers Rollins, Howard, etc? Good sports blogs require coverage of everyone and in America we still like our news/reports/analysis about everyone to come from white people.

One thing that differentiates sports analysis/commentary versus the other topics that black bloggers blew up on is that they only covered black people whereas good sports blogging is going to cover everyone. What good is a tennis blog that only pays attention to the Williams sisters and Donald Young? What good is a baseball blog that only covers Rollins, Howard, etc? Good sports blogs require coverage of everyone and in America we still like our news/reports/analysis about everyone to come from white people.

If there is commentary on the game, how isn’t it the same thing? That simply points to choice of delivery and style. Isn’t that why the panel featured an ESPN writer along with someone from Deadspin

I gues they view the fan as a “white man” because they spend the most money! They are the ppl that read and pay attn. To what’s being blogged or whatever. I think diversity is important period. Blacks Latinos etc. Have you noticed how many women now dominate the sports world? That to me is just as important issue of “why”. Why not more black folks that report/blog? And more importantly why so many women that haven’t played these sports now report on them?

I’m starting my blog, today!

My comment is in reference to bloggers trying to get their traffic up and have their work recognized in the mainstream (linked, mentioned etc). Writers should never expect to be able to use all the same techniques as gossip bloggers to grow their blogs.

I used to write a sports column for a small white paper and the hate I got was off the chain YET it brought people to the paper…I think this is the model for Black sports writers in the “white industry’..Bring the fans and write as you please

Now I am the most published social essayist in Detroit..My Blog http://planeideas.blogspot.com

Honest question, Bo: If you believe this is a big enough gap in the marketplace, would it not also be an opportunity to fill that gap? The boys behind The Classical raised more than $53,000 through Kickstarter to build their new sports site. You’ve got a fair amount of name recognition from your radio shows and your regular ESPN appearances. I have a hard time believing you couldn’t do the same and be successful with it.

Who were the first sports bloggers? IT pros who loved sports. They didn’t write like every other J-school grad ever, they wrote like software engineers or Web designers or support techs. They read each other’s work and passed what they like around via comment sections and email and Facebook and Twitter. They had white-collar jobs that gave them the income and free time and work flexibility to burn. Many of them shared tastes and influences and education level and background . . . and race.

Most of all that is still true today. Check this post by Smart Football’s Chris Brown, “Books That Have Influenced Me Most”:

http://smartfootball.com/books/books-that-have-influenced-me-most

Nearly every comment is a white male nerd sports blogger contributing a list of influences that’s achingly white, male, and nerdy. Including me and mine.

To this day, new-media sports content is mostly consumed during business hours on weekdays. Why? It’s when college students and white-collar workers and people with smartphones can carve out a few minutes to surf some sports blogs. If the leading producers are predominantly white, and the consumers are predominantly white, it’s a feedback loop–or, maybe, an echo chamber.

Peace
Ty

bet has NO sports programming what so ever…. start there…. take action…get us some shine

bet has NO sports programming what so ever…. start there…. take action…get us some shine

bet has NO sports programming what so ever…. start there…. take action…get us some shine

You’ve touched on a major issue right there. When white fans/readers see something is written by a black person, they immediately tune out and ignore, believing automatically that it’s something they can’t “relate” to. They assume the writer has a “black” viewpoint. Posters immediately launch into bigoted nonsense.

You’ve touched on a major issue right there. When white fans/readers see something is written by a black person, they immediately tune out and ignore, believing automatically that it’s something they can’t “relate” to. They assume the writer has a “black” viewpoint. Posters immediately launch into bigoted nonsense.

You’ve touched on a major issue right there. When white fans/readers see something is written by a black person, they immediately tune out and ignore, believing automatically that it’s something they can’t “relate” to. They assume the writer has a “black” viewpoint. Posters immediately launch into bigoted nonsense.

As a Black (I don’t use the term “african-american” to describe myself or my children- that term was invented by white folks to pigeon-hole us into another demographic) sports reporter (Clayton News Daily) I feel ike we don’t get all of the recoginition we deserve but also need to be supported more by our own. I don’t want to tell how many of our own I see on a daily basis reading newspapers and magazines: not many. it’s up to US to take care of US.

In order to understand why there are few black bloggers working in New Media the answer is pretty simple. If you look at the Management Team, Senior Technical Staff, and the various level of investors I am certain you will find very few if any black folks in those key decision making roles. So without any blacks in key business decision making roles why would a company hire a many if any black bloggers? Also, if you look at the revenue model for New Media companies blacks are not in there target demographic to derive revenue. The problem is not are there enough talented black bloggers, but why these companies do not have blacks in key roles to drive the hiring for more talented black bloggers. To talk about why black bloggers are not present in New Media without diving deep into the economic model that drives these companies leaves out one of the primary reason why there are not many black bloggers. We also should look at the make up of the leadership teams of these companies then that simple question will get answered.

Great read. I have always found it strange that there is so much hand wringing and angst coming from the mainstream media around Michael Vick in spite of the fact that a large percentage of football fans seem to love him. I don’t know much about deadspin. It sounds like they peddle in smut, but wouldn’t worldstarhiphop be a comparably trashy, “black version” of deadspin? I can’t speak much to the dearth of black blogger-types as i’m a white blogger-type from Canada who mainly just talks about the whitest sport of them all, hockey. Also, just wanted to say your appearance on Tim & Sid: Uncut a year or so ago is still an all time classic.

I feel like a big part of the problem is that most black journalists just don’t have much to write about if the topic isn’t about race. Every time I read an article by someone like Jemele Hill, LZ Granderson, or Howard Bryant the article always begins and ends with race. I get that they are black and different from me so they have a different take, but their stance is always the same (protect the race). After a while of getting beaten over the head with the same theme article after article I start to tune them out. I mean how many black journalists does one blog need when they all pretty much say the same thing?

I feel like a big part of the problem is that most black journalists just don’t have much to write about if the topic isn’t about race. Every time I read an article by someone like Jemele Hill, LZ Granderson, or Howard Bryant the article always begins and ends with race. I get that they are black and different from me so they have a different take, but their stance is always the same (protect the race). After a while of getting beaten over the head with the same theme article after article I start to tune them out. I mean how many black journalists does one blog need when they all pretty much say the same thing?

I feel like a big part of the problem is that most black journalists just don’t have much to write about if the topic isn’t about race. Every time I read an article by someone like Jemele Hill, LZ Granderson, or Howard Bryant the article always begins and ends with race. I get that they are black and different from me so they have a different take, but their stance is always the same (protect the race). After a while of getting beaten over the head with the same theme article after article I start to tune them out. I mean how many black journalists does one blog need when they all pretty much say the same thing?

“The content is geared toward whites, the advertisers are seeking out whites, and they work in concert to keep this stuff as white as possible, in spite of my fervent belief that ***white people in the 21st century are both capable of handling varying viewpoints and would like to see the model change***.”

Yep, why do you think us Jazz fans booed the Gordon Hayward draft pick, and most us were happy to see Jerry Sloan retire, albeit not in that manner?

As it turns out, @GordonHayward can actually play (tho Paul George could easily be better long-term) but the stereotype of White > gold in Utah just kills 95% of us.

Jimmer is an entirely different, most unique kettle of carrots n’ jello. Nothing similar to Hayward, Sloan, Stockton or Hornacek. Take 10K words to describe to outsiders but if Utah’s liquor laws were different Utah-BYU would make Celtic-Rangers look like a Swedish massage, for starters.

“The content is geared toward whites, the advertisers are seeking out whites, and they work in concert to keep this stuff as white as possible, in spite of my fervent belief that ***white people in the 21st century are both capable of handling varying viewpoints and would like to see the model change***.”

Yep, why do you think us Jazz fans booed the Gordon Hayward draft pick, and most us were happy to see Jerry Sloan retire, albeit not in that manner?

As it turns out, @GordonHayward can actually play (tho Paul George could easily be better long-term) but the stereotype of White > gold in Utah just kills 95% of us.

Jimmer is an entirely different, most unique kettle of carrots n’ jello. Nothing similar to Hayward, Sloan, Stockton or Hornacek. Take 10K words to describe to outsiders but if Utah’s liquor laws were different Utah-BYU would make Celtic-Rangers look like a Swedish massage, for starters.

“The content is geared toward whites, the advertisers are seeking out whites, and they work in concert to keep this stuff as white as possible, in spite of my fervent belief that ***white people in the 21st century are both capable of handling varying viewpoints and would like to see the model change***.”

Yep, why do you think us Jazz fans booed the Gordon Hayward draft pick, and most us were happy to see Jerry Sloan retire, albeit not in that manner?

As it turns out, @GordonHayward can actually play (tho Paul George could easily be better long-term) but the stereotype of White > gold in Utah just kills 95% of us.

Jimmer is an entirely different, most unique kettle of carrots n’ jello. Nothing similar to Hayward, Sloan, Stockton or Hornacek. Take 10K words to describe to outsiders but if Utah’s liquor laws were different Utah-BYU would make Celtic-Rangers look like a Swedish massage, for starters.

I’m baffled by this. How can this even be a complaint? There is literally nothing stopping any black person from jumping on a computer and starting a blog about sports. And if that blog becomes popular enough, if the blogger displays enough talent then opportunities will open up, either through a merger, an upward hire unto a bigger blog or perhaps expansion of the original blog itself. It is not up to Deadspin, the Big Lead or anyone to actively pursue hiring black people just to increase the numbers so you no longer think there is a “problem” at each company (what a terrible word choice).

You may have something on the public’s stereotypical views of “the fan”, but how this applies to bloggers is nonsensical.

If I am to be considered part of the average white fanbase, what you are saying to me is that companies find no need for a “black voice”, because that would not appeal to me.

So I can watch Mad Men and the Wire.
I can listen to Mitch Hedburg and Katt Williams
I can enjoy Jay-Z and U2
I can get enthralled by the NBA playoffs and the NHL playoffs
But I would immediately turn away from a predominantly black blog with a “black” voice because it doesn’t cater to me??

It doesn’t matter if a blogger’s voice is “black” or “white” to me or the vast majority of people. As long as they bring something entertaining and informative to my life, I will read it.

And to anyone saying that white people immediately tune out because a black person is speaking or voicing their opinion, please, grow up and get a clue. It’s that attitude and broad generalization that creates hostility.

If he did that, that would defeat the purpose of his existence as a journalist
If he did that, it would mean that it is possible and would nullify his argument that the only thing holding black people back is white people.

Nice, nuanced post. I’m a black blogger – http://5ksandcabernets.com – and also a former newspaper sportswriter. It is troubling that new media has dropped the ball on bloggers of color and even more troubling is that the regular Joe who just goes to a web site for news/entertainment probably won’t notice because many blog posts don’t come with pictures of the writers. And so new media can do what they do (hiring wise) without much attention heaped upon them. Of course, in the good old days of newspapers, you could just walk into a newsroom and see the lack of black folks covering beats. At least then, you had people counting and taking names.

Nice, nuanced post. I’m a black blogger – http://5ksandcabernets.com – and also a former newspaper sportswriter. It is troubling that new media has dropped the ball on bloggers of color and even more troubling is that the regular Joe who just goes to a web site for news/entertainment probably won’t notice because many blog posts don’t come with pictures of the writers. And so new media can do what they do (hiring wise) without much attention heaped upon them. Of course, in the good old days of newspapers, you could just walk into a newsroom and see the lack of black folks covering beats. At least then, you had people counting and taking names.

Nice, nuanced post. I’m a black blogger – http://5ksandcabernets.com – and also a former newspaper sportswriter. It is troubling that new media has dropped the ball on bloggers of color and even more troubling is that the regular Joe who just goes to a web site for news/entertainment probably won’t notice because many blog posts don’t come with pictures of the writers. And so new media can do what they do (hiring wise) without much attention heaped upon them. Of course, in the good old days of newspapers, you could just walk into a newsroom and see the lack of black folks covering beats. At least then, you had people counting and taking names.

Please, Kevin. You have to enlighten me:

Why is it, when there is a lack of black people at any level of any industry, it is someone other than the individuals who make up that demographic’s fault? That is what you saying by writing “new media has dropped the ball on bloggers of color”. How is it “new media’s” responsibility to ensure that there is an acceptable amount of black people in it so that you do not feel offended?

Glad to see us black sports bloggers out there doin’ work. We just need to keep putting in the work like we already have been and the rest will take care of itslef.

Glad to see us black sports bloggers out there doin’ work. We just need to keep putting in the work like we already have been and the rest will take care of itslef.

[...] of Minorities in Sports Blogosphere - In a post on his web site, sports journalist/pundit Bomani Jones tackled the issue of the lack of black people in New Media. [...]

Bomani knows this story well. I created and developed one of the first Black sport sites (blacksportsnetwork) in early 2004 and ran rather successfully for 3 1/2 years. We enlisted up and coming sportswriters to contribute to the discourse of sports in America. We covered issues from our perspective targeting a particular demographic and were unapologetic in the approach. Approached BET, Interactive One, liked the concept but could never pull the trigger.

What steps can whites take to improve diversity in the sports blogosphere?…

This question is inspired by my recent blog posts about the lack of racial diversity in new media. You can read the post here: http://www.bomanijones.com/bwb4/...

Your picture up top says it all. Enlarge. Great post and enjoying the discussion. Great stuff Bo.

true words. well im checking you all out because some of you are new to me. let’s network. We’re tweaking our sports show. http://www.mandommag.com

[...] already, I’ll leave that to them.  Dan Levy on The Awards and Sports Media, Bomani Jones on  blacks in the sports blogosphere, and Eno Sarris on the future of [...]

Nope.
While I don’t think it’s specifically written here, the issue is not about random persons starting a sports blog, it’s about Black writers at the larger blogs, paid writers.

Moreover, it isn’t just simply that you start a blog, write well and people will eventually come, especially not in this super-crowded environment.

I do think Black bloggers are often perceived as “always talking about race” even when those issues are a small part of overall content. That one time you blog about a contentious racial issue or “bring race into it” White people tend to give Black bloggers that tag [this is aside from Black bloggers who blog specifically about race]. “Sports fans” seem to be the most reactionary when it comes to the mentioning of race and sports (which you illustrate) and complain vociferously.

It’s great that you can enjoy Jay-Z and U2, but that’s really irrelevant to whether or not you may be disinterested in a Black sports blogger who may from time to time have a different vantage point on sports than you do.

It really hard to get into the whole “web” sports area if you are Black. We don’t have the contacts in media or tech. Think about it, how many Black are a Yahoo, Facebook, Google, Huffpo, DeadSpin, etc… It’s just hard to get in. J.G. Moore – Sports Cartoonist – NFL, NBA, GOLF, RACING, News, 3D Art… http://bit.ly/fCGcMd

Lots of YT women paid Sports Bloggers on the net. They don’t have a beef. They got jobs.

WHOAH. Why are you referencing me like we haven’t had pleasant email exchanges before, and the email address wasn’t theassimilatednegro? I’m looking at one right now in response to a post I did for deadspin about black people and NASCAR. the subject says, “great shit”.

Fam, you threw me (and my HUMOR book) under the bus to make a point about …wait, what? …”I have no desire to tackle this topic outside of sports. I’m not looking at this in a particularly scientific way, so I’m not going to move too far outside of what I know, for fear of making a fool of myself.” … say again now?

Consider the paragraph just before your stray bullet in which you: 1.) concede a bad joke in order to make some lame black-white homophobic generalization, then 2.) defy anyone to accuse you of generalizing before 3.) making the one specific point about my book, that its not cool to generalize.

Pardon me while I look at this post like it was written by Paul Finebaum.

I’m not sure I discern your overall point, but I’m certain you left out the part that deals with the black-on-black component to all this. smh

Because they saw you there and decided they didn’ t want to become a ‘Stephen Fetchit” , minstrel.

Because they are SMARTER than a bunch of sniveling little internet tough guys that BLOG!

Is it because they’re playing the sports???

If you want be a cowboy why give away your hat, horse and gun?

You stipulate too much by conceding that sports-media outlets should be white by default because that fairly-reflects their audiences. You straight up cop-out from Jump St.

The point of getting involved in so-called “new media” platforms is to avoid the contstraints that limit many “mainstream” writers. The number one limitation to be discarded by new-media professionals – being a slave to an unidentified audience.

Make your own fans. Chart your own course. Stop, stop, stop giving the farm away to people who died generations ago. The plantation is not a big field with a white house and servants. The plantation is in the mind. Sometimes you have to lose your mind to find yourself.

I’m not at all interested in whether or not a blogger is white or whether the number of black bloggers meets a statistical “norm” decided by some idiot too focused on the internet to see the big picture of life.

Advertisements are aimed at whites because they’re the ones who will buy the shit. Jay Z and Chuck D will tell you that. That’s pretty god damn simple. And you know what, blacks hardly have any damn awareness of their own plight. In truth. You are not going to be respected for your skin color, tell me what’s behind it, show me what’s behind and you can have respect. How the fuck can people ask for respect, when most of them lack respect for their own history? Blacks AND whites, all colors, all races — what Irish people do you know, that can tell you about their history aside from beer and leprechauns? It’s fucking embarrassing. Self-awareness is key. I don’t see self-awareness, I don’t see depth to the skin, there’s the skin alone because that’s the way it is. So the predominant skin rules.

If blacks can find black culture they won’t just be “in”, they’ll lead. Blacks were leading the way in the late 80s and early 90s, subculturally. That could have become THE culture. But damn, like on the Public Enemy track: “I’d like to express our deepest gratitude at the destruction of the inferior nigger race, and I’m especially pleased to report it’s destroying itself without our help. To all you gangs, hoodlums, drug pushers and users, and other worthless niggers killing each other, we’d like to thank y’all for saving us the time, trouble and legality for the final chapter of riddin’ y’all off the face of the Earth. Your solution to our problem is greatly appreciated, so keep selling us your soul.”

Get your soul back. White people ain’t gonna hand it to you. It’s not a fucking conspiracy, it’s self-illiteracy. Self-illiteracy is the barrier that most blacks fail to penetrate. Point the finger elsewhere if you want, not that other parties don’t deserve some blame, but where does the GREATEST blame belong? Black people need to point their finger in the mirror. Dr. King, Pac, Malcom X, all these great black leaders would be impassioned by what they see today — what a fucking step backwards.

Fantastic insight. You just made the case for a hell of a new startup. @aboulding

I’ll tell you why, because like in all things in life, blacks are lazy as hell and don’t like to work period. They’re also naturally dumb and wouldn’t be able to compete with white sports bloggers because they don’t know what the hell they are doing.

First it was we couldn’t play sports and we all know how that turned out now its we can’t do sports blogs WTF!….I’m sure Blacks prefer to play sports then sit around like some fat insecure white guy such as yourself and talked about them. Your comment is just another typical lazy, ignorant minded White man who love to vent stupidity on the internet because he’s too cowardly to do it in real life…..too stupid to make even the most intellectual of race bating arguments. Like I said we choose to play sports more often then just sit around and be a fat lazy A$$ and talk about them. Commentary Failure on your part.

Actually, you choose to rob, steal, murder, rape, assault, etc more than you like to do anything else. 12.6% of the population, commit almost 50 % of the crime. That is fact. Also, I think your TV is broken since it seems to only get the Nigger Basketball Association because other than that sport, there are as many or more whites than blacks (Baseball, Hockey, Tennis, Boxing, MMA). You may want to steal a new one.

There is no right or wrong answer to this. Maybe you just aren’t looking hard enough Bomani. Why aren’t there more black baseball players? I don’t know but it would surely help the game if there were.

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In your view, how many blacks should be involved in the sports blogosphere?

Yes but white bloggers like to talk about everybody but themselves…and your white ancestor evidently didnt like to work back in the dayz either…so whats your fukkin point?? We can always go tic for tac!

Right but who are the BEST players in most of those sports again??

In the sports I mentioned? Whites, cocksucker. Read the sports that I mentioned again.

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Let me drop this…Success in blogging to men lies in getting them riled up. Politics and religion are self-starters. Sports work best when you bring down the house on the athlete, or at least set it up for your readers to do so. Who are the best athletes in America today? Check. Now, how popular are you going to be doing what’s necessary here? (“Our Sports, Our Magazine”) No soft-soaping, back-slapping love fest is going to get it done. That’s not why people are there. They want to rip into something. That can be a dangerous place for a man who’s always looking for the “usual” explanation.

The flip side is black bloggers on columns that have drawn lots of hits. The easily identifiable or self-declared are seemingly few, especially where some of the opinions might easily be seen to be a bit “ripe”.

Thing is, we’ll rip into Lance Armstrong or Tim Tebow the same way, but there’s no reason for white people to take any of that personally. Myself, I confine my ripping to Bud Selig, mostly, but others are less fussy. It can and does get really ugly out there; and in order to make money off of it, you’ve got to take responsibility for starting it off.

That’s gold, which makes my point (here made elsewhere.) All they’re looking to do is vent. Your picture helps that along and you get cold feet. What you’ve got to understand is that many of us will trash anything, just for the pure joy of it. Getting a response is even better. Weakness or rage or naivete will get those juices flowing. Why? Why are guys there, instead of elsewhere? Some, for the same reasons as you. Those aren’t most of the people who spend a lot of time and effort at it. It’s the bored and cruel, the bored and angry, the bored and envious who are your bread and butter.

These are NOT the kinds of mind-sets that result in things with which you’re very likely to be comfortable. If that’s too much psychic weight, then you’ll be off elsewhere.

Do they stop coming to your site then, or do you cut and run because you can’t abide their cracker asses? Money comes with traffic.

As far as white responses to “a contentious race issue,” did you imagine for even a moment that we would sit still for the crap we’ve no choice but to stomach at work? There, the “conversation on race” is nothing other than a lecture. We love being lectured to just as much as you do. Out here, you’re bound to hear lots of things you will not like even a little bit. (You don’t have to leave any of it up, but that’s always a two-way street. Nobody likes to feel muzzled.) The worst offenders are liable to bring you the most cash.

Think of the average white commenter on sports bloggers as a pale version of Samuel L. Jackson. Hear the voice rise? Is he saying any of the things you’d always wished you’d had the stones to say in mixed company? That’s your market.

How did they get to BE the “larger” blogs? Why can’t you start one like it? Me, I regularly find myself at theroot.com and sometimes at thegrio.com. It’s not like alternative viewpoints aren’t appreciated, but for different reasons by different people. The motives (and opinions) of whom, you will not always be appreciative.

Renee, it wasn’t a matter of MSM embracing new media, it was about them trying to catch up with the trend. When the web traffic of small sites began to be monetized–ANONYMOUSLY–the writing was on the wall. Me, I’m more comfortable with cbssports.com as my first go-to, but I’m also in my fifties. Younger demos mostly go elsewhere, partly because they also are socially networked (making it easier to learn about smaller sites and single pages.)

There really isn’t any good reason why a black person couldn’t create the first sports model that mimics facebook. It’s not as if the barriers to entry are insurmountable.

The Lady GM, who’re the “broader opportunities” which you “must do a better job of targeting”? The reason why most things are geared to us is because we’re where the money’s at. So, it’s inevitable that those seeking to separate us from said money will focus on us. (There are other opportunities elsewhere, but the bigger your business is, the more necessary it is that you spend your time on that market, both to maintain it and to grow it.)

It’s wonderful that you have your own voices, but it’s not some white guy’s job to figure out how to make them heard by us, is it? Nobody told Howard Stern or Rush Limbaugh how to gather enough louts or idiots, after all. That was their job.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

When I was much younger, there were a number of years when there was a persistent refrain of criticism about the lack of mainstream beauty products for black women. I could never figure out why people who saw a need and an opportunity insisted on yelling angrily at white people on account of their failure to snap up the chance to make yet another fortune.

I still don’t. Especially not after watching the creation of the urban clothing market.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

When I was much younger, there were a number of years when there was a persistent refrain of criticism about the lack of mainstream beauty products for black women. I could never figure out why people who saw a need and an opportunity insisted on yelling angrily at white people on account of their failure to snap up the chance to make yet another fortune.

I still don’t. Especially not after watching the creation of the urban clothing market.

Or…You could, like, create your own new media company. Just a thought.

Flex, Flex, Flex!

He’s a troll. He wrote that to see if the fish were biting here today. Is that really how you want to be seen, as a gaping-mouthed goldfish in a bowl?

Odds are that he’s a 13-22 year old white kid who can’t get a date tonight. (Or ever.) But, there’s even a small chance that he’s a 29 year old black guy who’s just throwing bombs to keep ya’ll from getting complacent about the ‘threat’ that we pose to you.

On the other hand, THIS guy is probably in his fifties, laid off or passed over for promotion, miserably divorced and suicidal. You’re performing a public service by functioning as his ‘hot line’. Now he feels connected. (Hey, people are strange.)

No, the term in question was coined by blacks at white colleges who had become acculturated into the white liberal zeitgeist. Obsessing over symbolism is a big part of their pseudo-intellectual world. In SoCal, the Latino kids are at risk of returning home with Aztec lunacy stuck in their heads. Everywhere, the Indian kids learn how to go nuts over Indian mascots. (No one I’ve ever met on a Res cared about that nonsense, although some do mildly regret the loss of their symbols in the general culture.)

Gee, I’d love to read a full explanation. xxxoooxxx:)

Uh, if that makes you feel better, sure buddy. Your opinion is irrelevant.

Hmmm, how about affirmative action for sports writers? Seems like the only way to take over the white devil-controlled sports media. Black power!

Ive never looked at the skin colour of my favorite bloggers and often I dont even know.
But my favorite tech blogger is indian, my fave tech podcast is german and my fave tech coding site is run by a mexican.
What does it mean? I dont care.

I do however find it ironic that Ive been well trained to be colour blind and not care about skin color only to find out that many others do. Because you know if I get an opinion from someone of a different color than I am, then I wont get it or wont be as well served.

I understand the need for segregation, it makes people feel safer and more confortable but while it would be theoretically nice that black bloggers where in proportion to the population of the US (same applies to hispanic americans), this is about BIG online media jobs NOT blogging.
ANYONE can start a blogspot or other type of blog. Go ahead, write.
Then write some more and maybe you will get more people to read, maybe you wont.

I find that writing is like music, if you love it, you do it whenevver you can and not just when you get paid.

if there is a high percentage of black bloggers and a small percentage of paid bloggers that are black, then you have a problem.
if there are very little black bloggers overall and very little paid bloggers, then maybe its a different societal problem you are talking about.
writing is two things: its hard and its not ‘cool’. in a country with lower and lower scores, with whole cities that are illiterate (how does a Detroit happen in a rich country in the 21st century?), we havent valued writing or even the arts unless it is related to money.