"Jungle ball" "Calypso footy" etc etc

[butchmcdick]

Why shouldn't they know of it?

Did you know of the term and its origins prior to this thread?

So Brett Kimmorly is down with street basketball in the US is he Danish ?

Let me put it another way, it is highly unlikely that when Kimmorly described the Warriors style of play as jungle ball he was giving them props for playing in the same way as street games of Basketball in the US.

I had never heard of jungle ball and I doubt too many others here had either

 

[Danish]

So Brett Kimmorly is down with street basketball in the US is he Danish ?

Let me put it another way, it is highly unlikely that when Kimmorly described the Warriors style of play as jungle ball he was giving them props for playing in the same way as street games of Basketball in the US.

I had never heard of jungle ball and I doubt too many others here had either

So in other words, you've no idea whether or not Kimmorley would know the origins of the phrase or not, but just assume that he doesn't know what it means but has heard it enough for it to register as some sort of racist comment which he then chose to make both on national television and in an online article which ran past editors who also let it through.

More likely is that Kimmorley and those at Foxsports actually know the term and used it as such.

I know it seems highly unlikely that someone whose entire job revolves around sports commentary with a giant US-owned company may be aware of American oriented terminology that you aren't, but just go with it.

 

[Masoe_eats_babies]

That's not even a strong argument anyway, a lot of black americans say the term in its original use was racist

 

[Izz]

So in other words, you've no idea whether or not Kimmorley would know the origins of the phrase or not, but just assume that he doesn't know what it means but has heard it enough for it to register as some sort of racist comment which he then chose to make both on national television and in an online article which ran past editors who also let it through.

More likely is that Kimmorley and those at Foxsports actually know the term and used it as such.

I know it seems highly unlikely that someone whose entire job revolves around sports commentary with a giant US-owned company may be aware of American oriented terminology that you aren't, but just go with it.

Except they're using the term incorrectly if that's the case. To a basketballer jungle ball means selfish play, ball hogging, etc.

When used in league it almost means the opposite.

It could be they've heard the term in connection with basketball, but don't understand what it means.

 

[adamkungl]

Footy isn't even played in the jungle. It would be entirely impractical with all those trees and poisonous animals around.

 

[typicalfan]

I agree Calypso is a far better word. Calypsos are nice, especially in summer. If it were called a Jungle I would probably not want to have it.

 

[Iafeta]

If the connotation of jungle ball is some sort of exciting, free-flowing footy, I'd say bring it on. That said, aside from Johnson there are no freakish attacking talents creating gaps and tries left right and centre there. Mateo has shelved the offload, Vatuvei's a hit up merchant, Friend is a tough as nails defender, Maloney is best as a gap runner... I'm not even remotely sure why the Warriors would gain such a comment. I wish they were worthy of such a comment if it was regarding attacking footy.

 

[typicalfan]

If the connotation of jungle ball is some sort of exciting, free-flowing footy, I'd say bring it on. That said, aside from Johnson there are no freakish attacking talents creating gaps and tries left right and centre there. Mateo has shelved the offload, Vatuvei's a hit up merchant, Friend is a tough as nails defender, Maloney is best as a gap runner... I'm not even remotely sure why the Warriors would gain such a comment. I wish they were worthy of such a comment if it was regarding attacking footy.

I don't think it is meant to be a racial term. Although it could be different depending on who is saying it. Blocker says it a lot. Personally I think it is a lazy term to describe a harlem globetrotter style play which the Warriors don't do a lot of anymore. It is lazy because it is so general and vague that it allows people to have their own interpretation.

 

[butchmcdick]

So in other words, you've no idea whether or not Kimmorley would know the origins of the phrase or not, but just assume that he doesn't know what it means but has heard it enough for it to register as some sort of racist comment which he then chose to make both on national television and in an online article which ran past editors who also let it through.

More likely is that Kimmorley and those at Foxsports actually know the term and used it as such.

I know it seems highly unlikely that someone whose entire job revolves around sports commentary with a giant US-owned company may be aware of American oriented terminology that you aren't, but just go with it.

sigh

Read my earlier post again Danish.

I said I don't think he is a racist but I can see how some might be offended by his comments.

Also mate if I think the chances of Kimmorly being down with urban black basketball slang from the US is about the same as a roosters title this year. It's possible but highly unlikely.


Does this clear things up ?

 

[Spanner in the works]

Ahhh rugby league. Just when you think we are moving on from the dark ages, we get dragged back into it through a completely inappropriate comment on national television. Rugby league is the best representation of Australia I have ever come across; tough and plenty of mateship, yet deep down we still have that small group of racists and white trash who keep us firmly stuck in the dark ages.

 

[gUt]

Sorry that's bullshit. All that's happening here is people are choosing to be offended by something totally innocuous.

Like I said before the only reason sports commentators and sideline-eyes use these phrases over and over again is because it's something they heard another commentator say and they copy. This is because they aren't very smart or articulate men - they're sportsmen and sports commentators.

The crime is poor, cliched commentary, not racism.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

I agree Calypso is a far better word. Calypsos are nice, especially in summer. If it were called a Jungle I would probably not want to have it.

Thats a Calippo, not a Calypso.

Calypso refers to West Indian style cricket, so going by the mood of this thread, thats also racist.

This highlights the absurdity of the whole "You're a racist" angle.

 

[Hutty1986]

Orange Calippos were the best. It's a disgrace they stopped making them.

 

[Alan Johnson]

Callipos replaced the "Squeeze" in the NZ market. More adventurous flavours but in my view less refreshing.

 

[the kirwan kid]

Agreed, I was very surprised to hear them say "jungle ball". It's pretty close to the call from the weekend when a South African player mentioned "coconut tackles" from polynesian players.

Thats VERY VERY ordinary. Imagine the uproar if the NZ commentators described Melbourne as playing "Honky Ball". I didn't mind Calypso Footy because it's take on Calypso Cricket which described the Windies way of playing off the cuff, free scoring type of game. But the more I think about it, the fact that the Windies were black and the Warriors mostly brown is probably the main reasons they use it. Pretty shit really.

 

[Danish]

sigh

Read my earlier post again Danish.

I said I don't think he is a racist but I can see how some might be offended by his comments.

Also mate if I think the chances of Kimmorly being down with urban black basketball slang from the US is about the same as a roosters title this year. It's possible but highly unlikely.


Does this clear things up ?

How can he not be racist while at the same time not know what the term means?

If he doesn't know what it means, then he would indeed be using it in a racist way. Its only by applying it correctly that it loses its racist undertones.

The whole thing is just PC nonsense, and really only highlights the underlying racism in people who hear this term and automatically assume its derogatory.

If we go after Kimmorley for this, we might as well go after Coon cheese

 

[Hutty1986]

Skippyball? Topball? WASPball?

 

[betcats]

Coon cheese, f**king disgrace.

 

[Packy]

Can Cam Smith call merkins out if he is accused of being calculating? I mean the f**ker does have the body of an accountant.

 

[gUt]

"Body of a pregnant dog" as I once heard it poetically described.