Say, have you ever seen this shown to some well-to-do bastard who might have changed his views on the "lower class scum" or someone from the ghetto see this and change their minds about whether or not they would attempt the professional basketball route?
shareI don't know anybody who calls people "lower class scum". In fact, I know a lot of rich people who donate to charities that help the people who live in ghettos. Don't confuse people who are well off as *beep*
shareA lot of affluent people do "get it", but there are also a whole lot who are very prejudiced against the poor and minorities. You can't deny that.
shareSo what? I'm tired of hollywood portraying poor people as "better" than rich people. Being poor isn't enobling, all it does is make you mean.
There are good poor people and bad poor people, just like there are good rich people and bad rich people, and it's probably the same percentage of each.
If I was an inner-city parent and saw this movie, it would strengthen my determination that my kids would get a good education instead of being seduced by the basketball court. William and Arthur's parents paid a lot of lip service to how important their kids' educations were to them, but the piss-poor grades both boys received showed otherwise. They would have done their kids a bigger favor by taking them off the basketball team till their grades improved, since a college education is a much more reliable ticket out of the ghetto than the always remote chance of playing basketball professionally.
shareIn a perfect world, that's how it would be,but basketball was the only thing these kids had at the time, it was the only thing keeping them out of trouble, the only thing keeping their grades from getting worse(they needed certain grades to stay on their teams) so taking them off the teams,and switching to another, objective(probably crime) wouldn't of been, good.
shareThis message of this movie was sadly missed by those that keep the system of exploitation going--mainly the NCAA, NBA and the sneaker companies. Nothing has changed--it's gotten worse. Now the kids don't even have to go to college. And why should they, the NCAA is so corrupt and makes millions of dollars off the kids with little real care into the quality of their education--they are treated like cash cows. Yeah, yeah, Duke, shmook. For every Duke, there are 10 programs that are just in it for the bottom line. The graduation rate of a program like Cincinnati is hideous. The hoop dream is more alive than ever. Sadly, nothing has changed from the days of Hoop Dreams the documentary. Over ten years later, we can be sure of one thing--all hail King James and his Humvee. Nothing beats success better than excess.
shareExcess is the symbol of success.....when you think about it.
sharemy thoughts, exactly.
shareI guess that their parents and every other kid parents in the ghetto should tell their kids not to inspire to be basketball players but President of the Unites states, wait a minute we have never had a black president! Well maybe they can inspire their kids to be President of IBM, Disney, Microsoft, Ford motor co., wait a minute neither of those are black also. I guess the simple thing to do is follow your dreams and if they fall short like William Gates just get you degree as William Gates did. Or they can aspire to be the first black president dahhhhh. This is a very anserine post to start.
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