Since I’m always late…by now you already know what the NY Post printed about Jay-z and the Brooklyn Nets but here it is for my fellow late brethren. Phil Mushnick wrote:

Nets on Jay-Z track

As long as the Nets are allowing Jay-Z to call their marketing shots — what a shock that he chose black and white as the new team colors to stress, as the Nets explained, their new “urban” home — why not have him apply the full Jay-Z treatment?

Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N——s? The cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B—-hes or Hoes. Team logo? A 9 mm with hollow-tip shell casings strewn beneath. Wanna be Jay-Z hip? Then go all the way!

Couple things come to mind.

When the NBA implemented its dress code years ago it was in response to the fact that the relative “urban-ness” of the NBA was off putting for the average avid fan. The average avid sports fan is a white dude from 30-55 years old and a lot of what sports leagues choose to do is in an effort to attract or, at least, not raise their hackles too much. And because of that we get uber “safe” choices for everything from performances to apparel.  The NFL’s ability to dig up every has been to perform during chip games and Super Bowl is proof.

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The Brooklyn Nets embracing their so-called “urban” home and allowing Jay-z to incorporate hip hop’ish items (or at least what hip hop looked like in 1980 or something) is in direct contrast to what typically takes place.

I wasn’t offended by Mushnick referring to the Jay-z treatment as Brooklyn Nwords or Brooklyn Bs cause profane language and derogatory comments about women is how Jay-z has made hundreds of millions. And no amount of open-toed sandals and zillion dollar yacht vacations with Chris Martin is going to erase that from the memory of those who don’t like that kind of thing.

My issue with Mushnick is what caused him to bring up Nets’ marketing in the first place.

Mushnick clearly had a viceral reaction to the team becoming more “urban.” The comments about what Jay-z might call the cheerleaders never would have come up if he wasn’t upset about the team’s look being too black or at least not white enough or outwardly inclusive. I don’t think this is about Jay-z at all, really.  If Mushnick had made some sort of argument about how Jay-z’s “urban” approach wouldn’t be successful, that’d be one thing. But Mushnick is simply opposed to the Brooklyn Nets or presumably any NBA team having a look that doesn’t kowtow to his demographic.  And that’s wrong and very telling.

Update: Mushnick says “no surprise he chose black and white as the colors to stress.” HUH? I felt like this was some sort of weird accusation that black people make everything about “black and white” or something. I don’t know I’m confused. What do others think?

Sidenote: I’d love to hear from people who aren’t from  Brooklyn about whether they are switching allegiance to the BK Nets. I’m asking cause I feel like through rap music Brooklyn is not just a borough, it’s an identity. I personally couldn’t see myself being a Nets fan cause it would feel like repping some…thing…that I’m not a part of if that makes sense. Not that I’m in the market for a new team to root for cause I’m NOT. But maybe Brooklyn will come to be just like any other league team location and not indicative of being born in a certain place or having a certain mentality etc. etc.