This is a newsletter about the Xs and Os of basketball, but now is not the time to stick to sports. George Floyd is dead, the latest in a long line of African Americans murdered by police officers. The absolute least — the absolute, absolute least — anyone must do is loudly advocate for justice, internalize the great pain people of color are experiencing, and confront our role in allowing systemic racism and police brutality to engulf our country.
That goes for brands, too, especially brands that profit off black culture like professional sports teams, media outlets, and, crucially, sneaker companies. With a few notable exceptions, those brands are falling far short. Too many vague statements. Too much passive voice. Too many empty gestures that don’t facilitate real change.
That’s why we dialed up old friend Michael Sykes to have an important, difficult conversation in this week’s podcast. Sykes is a staff writer at USA Today’s For the Win and the author of The Kicks You Wear newsletter on sneaker culture. If you haven’t read his latest newsletter post, go read it now.
Topics include:
General feelings about this important moment in human history.
Why brands like Nike and adidas are falling short, and how to tell the difference between a good and bad public statement.
How the absence of sports is forcing everyone to address these issues without any distractions.
Can multi-million dollar corporations be trusted to also act as leaders for social change even if it risks costing them profits?
Ben and I confront our own privilege and the importance of staying uncomfortable with the status quo.
We briefly examine the historical forces that led us to this moment.
This podcast is important. If you consume one thing on this website, make it this podcast. And heed Sykes’ words to close this podcast. They are incredibly powerful.
Some supplementary reading material that we referenced in the pod:
“This Week Has Happened Before” by Julia Craven for Slate.
“A Night of Protest, Pain, and Peace in Brooklyn” by Tyler Tynes for The Ringer.
“Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces,” a book by Radley Balko.
This Twitter thread by Timothy Snyder, a Yale University professor of history.
“The World’s Most Basic Guide To Contacting Your Reps” by Hannah Smothers of VICE.
This Google Doc created by Jared Dubin, which has form letters to send to representatives in 100 different cities advocating for policies that demilitarize the police.
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