Updated: Jun 9, 2004, 6:28 PM

Vote: Are Bird's comments offensive?


 Bears
The interview airs Thursday on ESPN (7 p.m. ET).
In an ESPN interview airing this week, Larry Bird spoke his mind on race and basketball: "I think it's good for a fan base, because, as we all know, the majority of the fans are white America," Bird said. "And if you just had a couple of white guys in there, you might get them a little excited. But it is a black man's game, and it will be forever. I mean, the greatest athletes in the world are African-American."

Bird added, "The one thing that always bothered me when I played in the NBA was I really got irritated when they put a white guy on me. I still don't understand why."

Bird was sitting down in a "Two on Two" group interview with his pal Magic Johnson and two rookie stars, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. But the feel-good get-together took an unexpected turn, and stirred up a hornet's nest of thoughts and attitudes on race in the NBA.

We want SportsNation's take on these sensitive topics. Register your opinion below. And click here to send your thoughts to ESPN.
  • 1) Do you agree or disagree with Larry Bird's comment that having more white stars would be ''good for the fan base'' because ''the majority of fans are white America''?
  • 2) Which, if any, of Bird's comments do you find the most offensive?
  • 3) If an African-American player were to say that it was a sign of disrespect for a coach to put a white defender on him, would that be offensive?
  • 4) Are LeBron and Carmelo the new Magic and Larry?
  • 5) Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in their prime vs. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony of today. Who wins?
  • 6) With LeBron and Carmelo as the new faces of the league, the NBA . . .
  • 7) Bird's Celtics reached the NBA finals five times. Magic's Lakers reached the NBA finals nine times. How many times will LeBron reach the NBA finals?
  • 8) How many times will Carmelo reach the NBA finals?

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