Racism and basketball ...

[MikeWaters]

I think it depends on its usage. If you are watching a team play that is entirely black, and you derisively call it "jungle ball", that may have racist connotations.

But if you are a Mormon scout leader and you refer to other troops only playing "jungle ball" on scout night, that is free of connotation, I think.

When the guy on cougarboard says "Tell Dave Rose to get rid of the jungle ball, and let's implement the Princeton offense!"

That has race written all over it.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I think it depends on its usage. If you are watching a team play that is entirely black, and you derisively call it "jungle ball", that may have racist connotations.

But if you are a Mormon scout leader and you refer to other troops only playing "jungle ball" on scout night, that is free of connotation, I think.

When the guy on cougarboard says "Tell Dave Rose to get rid of the jungle ball, and let's implement the Princeton offense!"

That has race written all over it.

That is possible.

I see it as disorganized ball, regardless of race. We need a new handy term, devoid or racial connotation to convey the same activity.

[Detroitdad]

Jungleball is racist. There are an enormous number of derogatory names for blacks that are related to the word "jungle." I doubt that this will change minds ofmost of the people that use the term and they will persist in using it. But to say that it is not racist is to sugarcoat it.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

Jungleball is racist. There are an enormous number of derogatory names for blacks that are related to the word "jungle." I doubt that this will change minds ofmost of the people that use the term and they will persist in using it. But to say that it is not racist is to sugarcoat it.

Then give me a shorthand term that describes it without racial connotation. I'm happy to avoid offending people.

[Detroitdad]

Selfish basketball. Helter-skelter. Non-team oriented. None of them are in the regular parlance, or that catchy, but you can come up with your own.

The old version of eeny-meeny-miney-mo was racist too, but it doesn't mean that people who used it were racists particularly. I doubt people will stop using the term, but its origins are racist.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

Selfish basketball. Helter-skelter. Non-team oriented. None of them are in the regular parlance, or that catchy, but you can come up with your own.

The old version of eeny-meeny-miney-mo was racist too, but it doesn't mean that people who used it were racists particularly. I doubt people will stop using the term, but its origins are racist.

What about "mob ball"? Or, "mayhem ball"?

I want to copyright it, if you like it.

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by Archaea

What about "mob ball"? Or, "mayhem ball"?

I want to copyright it, if you like it.

I like them both, lol. They are both more descriptive and more evocative.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

I like them both, lol. They are both more descriptive and more evocative.

Is gangster ball racial?

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Is gangster ball racial?

Gangster ball is not unless you are around a bunch of Italians. Gangsta ball probably is racist.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by PaloAltoCougar

As I close in on a milestone 10th post, I solicit the board's counsel on the use of the term "jungle ball." I've used that term sparingly, but consistently, since high school to describe a highly disorganized, fast-paced and decidedly not-team-oriented approach to the game. It was not intended to be a racial reference, but merely a description of the feral nature of our style, such as it was. We started using the term in high school, an era which followed (albeit not by much) the retirement of the peach basket; spare me the ageist slander.

Anyway, is the term now regarded as racist? Is there even a point to asking the question of an audience comprised predominantly of melanin-free middle-aged males? Despite your suspect credentials, if you so advise, I'll retire the term from my limited inventory.

I am pristine. Never used the term "jungle ball." Nor am I "middle aged." 49 is not middle aged.