Elijah Millsap: Lindsey in exit interview: “if u say one more word, I’ll cut your Black *** and send you back to Louisiana”.

[KqWIN]

There’s been debate in this thread regarding Elijah taking this public and not calling DL privately. I’m of the persuasion that I’m not going to take a hard stance on what’s the best approach to that situation for any particular individual, so I’ll acknowledge what’s well within someone’s rights if they’ve been wronged. But it would be a little odd to grant one individual being within their rights to take something public, but then scrutinize the way someone being accused responds in that same public venue on short notice.

I don't mind DL making a public statement. I do, however, think he should have shown more concern for the complaints that were brought up. He could have had the exact same public statement followed up with, "we will reach out to Elijah so he can voice his concerns". I just don't think it's good to dismiss something like this so quickly. It's more important to show concern for these types of issues than to call Elijah a liar. So for me, it's less about being public versus private and more about taking the concerns seriously and making it right with Elijah.

I also don't see Elijah's comments as an attack. I know some people are theorizing that this is some kind of purposefully timed hit piece...but honestly that theory sounds bat **** insane to me. I think Elijah was tweeting out what was on his mind that day and hoping to make some change.

Let's be honest here...if DL or anyone did say that 6 years ago it would not be the worst thing that has been said. As I was saying, Danny Ferry was much more overtly racist and even 6 years ago we knew it was racist. The alleged comment really strikes me as something that people didn't think was a big deal 6 years ago but people are now realizing is wrong. That seems to be Elijah's point. He's bringing up the subtle racism that can be harmful even when people don't realize it. I think it's a good thing when these things are brought to attention.

 

[infection]

I don't mind DL making a public statement. I do, however, think he should have shown more concern for the complaints that were brought up. He could have had the exact same public statement followed up with, "we will reach out to Elijah so he can voice his concerns". I just don't think it's good to dismiss something like this so quickly. It's more important to show concern for these types of issues than to call Elijah a liar. So for me, it's less about being public versus private and more about taking the concerns seriously and making it right with Elijah.

I also don't see Elijah's comments as an attack. I know some people are theorizing that this is some kind of purposefully timed hit piece...but honestly that theory sounds bat **** insane to me. I think Elijah was tweeting out what was on his mind that day and hoping to make some change.

Let's be honest here...if DL or anyone did say that 6 years ago it would not be the worst thing that has been said. As I was saying, Danny Ferry was much more overtly racist and even 6 years ago we knew it was racist. The alleged comment really strikes me as something that people didn't think was a big deal 6 years ago but people are now realizing is wrong. That seems to be Elijah's point. He's bringing up the subtle racism that can be harmful even when people don't realize it. I think it's a good thing when these things are brought to attention.

With the same ability I’d give Elijah free of critique, I’d grant the same to someone’s knee-jerk response to being accused of making racist comments.

 

[porfavors]

I read Dennis grow up with different race foster kids. His parents are foster parents.

Fall 2019

www.baylor.edu

“You see a white guy in Utah, there’s some almost automatic assumptions people make. Oh, well, he’s surely, he’s this, this and this,” says Melvin Hunt, BBA ’91, MSEd ’95, Lindsey’s longtime friend and former NBA colleague, Baylor teammate and roommate. Hunt is lead assistant coach of the Atlanta Hawks. “And then you realize, no, he’s not. Dennis is not that at all. He’s quite opposite of those things, quite different. He was raised in a home with a dozen disadvantaged kids: black and white, Asian American and Hispanic, a little bit of everything.

 

[KqWIN]

With the same ability I’d give Elijah free of critique, I’d grant the same to someone’s knee-jerk response to being accused of making racist comments.

There's nothing to critique about what Elijah said. In some bizarre world where Elijah Millsap is trying to capitalize on the Jazz winning a lot of games by faking a racist allegation...idk. But that is the most insane of the insane conspiracy in my opinion.

I'm not huge on policing the way people bring up concerns. If Elijah believes he was done wrong, it doesn't really matter to me how or when he does it. I'm just glad he did. I do have a higher expectation for how those concerns are dealt with, but I'm not asking for much. Like I said, we shouldn't turn this into a he said she said mystery case. I don't believe that one of these men has to come out as a victor and another a liar.

 

[Gameface]

I told my wife about this issue and about what the allegation was and, well, she felt like it was meh as ****.

The denial is the only real issue here. If it is proven he did say it and that he denied it knowing full well he said it then he's kind of ****ed. But the actual allegation is not a big deal. Not good, but not a big deal.

The fact that people here are freaking out about this is silly.

Do any of you actually work in diverse environments? When you do, I've worked in kitchens and manufacturing since I was 14 years old, people say **** like that. The minority folks say A LOT of **** like that. It's not professional and it's not workplace appropriate, but it exists. In blue collar jobs where there are a lot of minority employees this stuff happens and is usually perpetrated by the minority employees. Maybe it is a coping mechanism, maybe it's an attempt to fit in, but it is common.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

So telling that most posters initial reaction is to get defensive about cancel culture and not concern for racism in the work environment

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I told my wife about this issue and about what the allegation was and, well, she felt like it was meh as ****.

The denial is the only real issue here. If it is proven he did say it and that he denied it knowing full well he said it then he's kind of ****ed. But the actual allegation is not a big deal. Not good, but not a big deal.

The fact that people here are freaking out about this is silly.

Do any of you actually work in diverse environments? When you do, I've worked in kitchens and manufacturing since I was 14 years old, people say **** like that. The minority folks say A LOT of **** like that. It's not professional and it's not workplace appropriate, but it exists. In blue collar jobs where there are a lot of minority employees this stuff happens and is usually perpetrated by the minority employees. Maybe it is a coping mechanism, maybe it's an attempt to fit in, but it is common.

You are really comparing your exp in kitchens and manufacturing to a NBA team?

But yes, some of us aren't from Utah.

 

[Jazz Traveler]

Zanik is the one who would be able to corroborate Millsap’s statement since he was carefully listening to be able to take detailed notes. Millsap also doesn’t say anything about context. Was it a relaxed meeting, contentious, bitter, joking? What did this comment supposedly stem from?

 

[slc]

So is Elijah going to be happy if DL gets fired
Not sure that's what he wanted
But DL may not have helped himself either in this with his comments

 

[RandyForRubio]

Whatever actually happened, Elijah is right about the response. DL should have reached out to him instead of going full denial. This "notes" thing is obviously going to result in nothing because you're not going to document a racist comment. Unless you're Danny Ferry of course.

For me personally, it's not the best look for DL to outwardly call Elijah a liar. It would have been better to reach out to Elijah and hear his side of the story. I said this before, but being a nice well mannered guy really doesn't make me believe that DL could be incapable of this. If you've been on the receiving end of racist comments, you wouldn't be surprised that it came from someone who is powerful and "well respected".

My speculation is that both men believed they are telling the truth, perhaps there was a miscommunication.The best thing to do here was to solve with Elijah and put in the policies to ensure that something like this doesn't happen again. Elijah's obviously not being malicious here. Why not hear him out?

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that for players in the league, it's probably not the best to meet these concerns with immediate denial and without reaching out. There are a lot of people here that seem to "believe" DL over Elijah for one reason or another. I bet there are a lot of players who find it much easier to believe Elijah, especially if they know him personally. There's a good chance that they've been told something sideways from a "well respected" person before.

Danny Ferry was very well respected. Didn't stop him from saying an outwardly racist comment on a conference call. Was about 6 years ago too, which says something about the league culture at the time. I said this earlier, most important thing is to make sure that the current culture doesn't allow this. Hopefully this doesn't turn into an endless he said she said thing and we get some positive change out of it.

Someone said earlier that Tony Jones talked to players that played with Elijah in Utah, and those players said they would be surprised if this is true.

 

[yamers]

I think milsap should have reached out to DL directly and squashed it like that.

 

[gomretat]

I think milsap should have reached out to DL directly and squashed it like that.

Agreed but his motive does not seem to be resolving anything with DL. It was making a much broader comment about racism in general so it seems to me that he probably doesn't care about that relationship.

 

[gomretat]

Zanik is the one who would be able to corroborate Millsap’s statement since he was carefully listening to be able to take detailed notes. Millsap also doesn’t say anything about context. Was it a relaxed meeting, contentious, bitter, joking? What did this comment supposedly stem from?

And for what its worth, even if someone was taking detailed notes and if that comment was made, it is not going to show up in the notes.

 

[Getting Traded]

If he said it, he should definitely face repercussions.......but should everyone that makes a racially insensitive remark, possibly in a heated exchange or misguided attempt to motivate someone, automatically lose their job?

We need to stop erasing people from society due to these mistakes. Suspension, diversity training, sincere apology......all of that would seem justified. But immediate termination and essentially banning him from basketball employment for the rest of his life?
Has no one else ever made a stupid mistake that you regret? No one here has ever told a dumb racist joke.....or laughed at one? Ever said something offensive? Mistreated someone?
Just surprised me how quickly people go for blood. No room for mercy. No room for growth or change. Only punishment.

Again, I think this is very telling that it was a unique, out of character moment and even the accuser is not blaming DL for being racist.

Still not enough info but it feels a little over blown given this tweet post the interview with Elijah himself.

Again, if thats what he said, not good but far from being in character and deserving of a reprimand but a firing would go too far imho.

In fact, I think its an opportunity for Ryan Smith to help push a culture of anti-racism with DL leading the charge.

Then if EM thinks that, why did he tweet such a thing? Is he brain dead? What was his motivation?

 

[whatthe]

I don't think DL is racist. He doesn't have a history. But I think he is human. Maybe it was a heated argument. Can we allow someone hunanity/imperfection or is this so toxic which it might be?

 

[One Brow]

LOL! All I kept thinking reading this thread was that One Brow needed to join in with Cy. Where's Salty?

I appreciate it can be hard to keep track, but there are some pretty substantial differences between his take and mine.

 

[One Brow]

One. If the bad behavior merits a firing then atleast tell HR.

I think only one poster has deemed this to be a terminable offense.

 

[One Brow]

What they'll find is that old Elijah is in fact a racist and race baiter. It's sad really.

It's amazing how much people can reveal of themselves when they discuss the motivations of others.

 

[One Brow]

I agree with what you're saying, but at this point if it turns out he did say it, it would also mean that he lied about it, boldly, which makes it a lot worse.

Or, that he doesn't remember saying it, because it was not a deliberate act.

 

[framer]

Agreed but his motive does not seem to be resolving anything with DL. It was making a much broader comment about racism in general so it seems to me that he probably doesn't care about that relationship.

This is such ********. He called DL out by name because he wanted to hurt DL. It wasn't a "broader" comment. It was targeted.

Now, whether it was a valid attack, we will never know.