Add Comment

• UNC23Tarheels said May 26, 2009

  Does anybody have any actual "Proof" that JR Smith is gang affiliated?? I'm saying just because he threw up some upside down 3's doesn't make him associated with any gangs??

  Reply

  
• phillypoop98 said May 26, 2009

  dude they werent gang signs all i see in that video is a guy having fun

  Reply

  
  • UNC23Tarheels replied May 26, 2009

    Taht's what I'm saying,why does everyone always think that if you do something with your fingers it's associated with some gangs?
    • Justwannawinna replied May 26, 2009

      negativity fuels news stories so when a young man throws some fingers up its gang related what a dumb thing to assume im with u unc
• ShaylaGreen_21 said May 26, 2009

  is he throwing up a gang sign or holdin the 3 fingers for the 3pointer he shot???? hhhmm?

  Reply

  
  • UNC23Tarheels replied May 26, 2009

    Good Question???
• eagleman11 said May 26, 2009

  this is a bogus article....Are you serious???? You must think all black guys are gang affiliated.....DUH you POS....that signals 3 pointer with some SWAG added in.........also the three fingers stand for an African American COLLEGE fraternity!!!!!!! Kappa Alpha Psi

  Reply

  
  • Qwest336 replied May 26, 2009

    Not that I think he's affiliated or even care...but K A Psi has the three fingers together.
  • ssmooth23 replied May 27, 2009

    eagleman11- The 3 fingers may stand for a college frat, but JR Smith didnt go to college. Not saying its a gang thing, but he probably wouldn't know that it was frat related either.
• speedwell said May 26, 2009

  Did you guys even bother to READ the article?
  The blogger is not saying that JR Smith is flashing "gang signs". He's saying that a black person can't even celebrate by throwing any sort of hand signals, because there are too many people out there that will just assume that the player is gang related.He's saying that even the slightest hint of impropriety means that people have to expend energy explaining that it's a non-issue. He's saying that this kind of immature behavior kickstarts stereotypes and sets back positive images of black people.
  

  Reply

  
  • Qwest336 replied May 26, 2009

    I completely agree with you...no one must have read the article. LOLHowever, his point is a little overblown. If the world will take how a basketball player, who happens to be black and happens to have tattoos, and somehow extend that to a completely unrelated black person with tattoos, it is the WORLD that has the problem. People celebrate things in different ways and you can't ask them to change it, nor do they even bear a responsibility to change it. He has a responsibility to be the best person he can be...the rest of the responsibility should fall on the people who perpetuate stereotypes with ACTUAL stereotypical actions and those who discriminate based off of stereotypes and prejudices. He doesn't "owe black people" any more than the writer of this article owes it to journalists to spell/grammar check or to use better punctuation. (e.g. "We and when I say we I mean us black men have enough to deal with than you acting like a fool trying to show how "hood' you are." Can we get some commas in there please? LOL) He worked hard to get to the position that he is in and while it would be admirable for him to take on that responsibility, it certainly is not a requirement.
    • speedwell replied May 26, 2009

      You're right, JR Smith doesn't owe anyone anything. But I see where the writer of the article is coming from too.
      • Qwest336 replied May 26, 2009

        I see where he is coming from...however, it is ridiculous to ask a person who you admit is doing nothing wrong to change based off of the perception that people with prejudices may have. That is a very DANGEROUS line to draw in the sand. Where does it end? Can I not get rims on my car anymore because in movies, black drug dealers have rims? See where I'm going?
      • xraycat replied May 26, 2009

        Freedom. of. speech. Signs are a form of speech, and speech can only be regulated under very very highly scrutinized conditions.. aka inciting immediate violence. End of story.
  • rustysrf89 replied May 26, 2009

    hardly anybody actually reads the article, they just read the headline and then comment
• webkid30 said May 26, 2009

  This type of immature ARTICLE kickstarts stereotypes and sets back positive images of black people. Anyone watching the game, who didn't expect JR Smith to be in a gang, would naturally assume the 3 fingers was celebrating the 3 pointer.

  Reply

  
  • speedwell replied May 26, 2009

    Apparently you don't remember the Paul Pierce fiasco last year.
    • webkid30 replied May 27, 2009

      Why wouldn't I remember the Paul Pierce fiasco? Because a bunch of writers and broadcasters made a huge deal out of something they knew nothing about? That was my point.
• RobertLittal said May 26, 2009

  If anyone would read the article would understand my point. This isn't about gang signs it is about perception. As predicted I have had several people today ask me if he was throwing up gang signs and I had to patiently explain what he was doing. That is exactly what I am talking about.
  Maybe a basketball fan knows what he is doing, but a casual fan does not and assumes the negative.

  Reply

  
  • UNC23Tarheels replied May 26, 2009

    I understand what your saying but your not the only one that suggested that JR Smith was throwing up Gang signs,several radio sports shows have said the same exact thing,still a good article though..
    • UNC23Tarheels replied May 26, 2009

      Or wasn't throwing up Gang Signs,oops my mistake..
    • RobertLittal replied May 26, 2009

      I tried to clearly state that is doesn't matter his intention. I know what he was doing, but a lot of people won't see it like that and he has to be smarter than that in my opinion.
      • Qwest336 replied May 26, 2009

        In my opinion, it is not his responsibility to not do certain things because people might take it a certain way. Prejudice and discrimination is bread from ignorance. So people who have them are going to have them no matter what. It should not be put on him to stop celebrating a big shot a certain way, especially in the heat of the moment. I'm sure Glen Davis didn't mean to shove the little boy when he hit the game winner. He shouldn't have to stop his emotions to make sure he is being politically correct.
      • Qwest336 replied May 27, 2009

        lmao @ "bread from ignorance"
  • poodie21 replied May 26, 2009

    His perception had nothin to do with gangs sign you dumbass. He was just trying to taunt on the low. He gotta be a geek as lakers fan. Now if he would of saluted like that then its a different story. Learn about gangs signs before you write this stupid comment again
• jahwarrior said May 26, 2009

  This worries me, because my 3 year old does the same "Gang Sign"

  Reply

  
• RobertLittal said May 26, 2009

  By the way it looks like ESPN wants to talk to me about the article. This might get interesting after all

  Reply

  
• Mizzy21390 said May 26, 2009

  hmm... this reminds me of the PP incident last season's playoffs...

  Reply

  
• xraycat said May 26, 2009

  That's ridiculous, the man had a sick game, one of the best in his playoff career in the most important game in Nuggets history... I don't know/care what signs he was flashing (and i wholly doubt they were gang-related), let the man celebrate some amazing shots...

  Reply

  
• sambot said May 26, 2009

  OH HEY dinosaur walk!

  Reply

  
  • eagles4ever05 replied May 26, 2009

    looks like it
• phillypoop98 said May 26, 2009

  beause there are people in this world that have nothing better to do then come up with this kind of stuff instead of making an article about how the game was last night its did you see jr smiths gang signs he threw

  Reply

  
• Noble55 said May 26, 2009

  Its funny caouse you see coacjes always throw up signals for there team and it looks like the blood sign and you here nobody talk about it. No every black man that plays ball is a gang member.

  

  Reply

  
  • phillypoop98 replied May 26, 2009

    noble55 im wit u on tht one
  • xraycat replied May 26, 2009

    ^noble55 true true
  • MahRihSah replied May 27, 2009

    THANK YOU noble. "gang signs" or throwing up numbers is used all the time on the court, by players and coaches. making a situation out of absolutely nothing. why dont we discuss baseball players and volleyball players and their signals to one another then. are they in gangs too?? this post is so dumb. first time ive actually been irritated by a posting on the yard.
    • MahRihSah replied May 27, 2009

      

      • Qwest336 replied May 27, 2009

        NICE...LMAOARE THEY MS-13????!!!??????
    • Qwest336 replied May 27, 2009

      Wow...if this is your first time being irritated by a posting here, you either have VERY thick skin or VERY little time to browse! LOL
      • MahRihSah replied May 27, 2009

        hahah. i try to let ignorant statements roll of my back but this one just really got to me
• Noble55 said May 26, 2009

  Sorry for my bad spelling .

  Reply

  
• BowlBound said May 26, 2009

  As long as they beat the Lakers, he can flip everyone off.

  Reply

  
• eagles4ever05 said May 26, 2009

  man everyone flashes a gang sign without knowing it

  Reply

  
• Justwannawinna said May 26, 2009

  im flashing my middle finger lol.... no reason to make it a story is all im saying
  

  Reply

  
  • eagles4ever05 replied May 26, 2009

    yep I do that all the time
• BirdsFan536 said May 26, 2009

  no way he was flashing gang signs omg thats unreal....the dude put up 3's upside down bc maybe hmmm...MAYBE HE HIT A 3 POINTER?

  Reply

  
  • poodie21 replied May 27, 2009

    LOL i know right it would be the same if he put 3's up
• phillysbc said May 28, 2009

  If it looks gangsta and acts gangsta, 90 % of the time, it's gangsta. Sometimes, people just welcome the stereotypes. If you're going to strut around like that and flash signs(that one would only assume is gangsta-like), well then maybe you should celebrate a different way.

  Reply