>> We're experiencing a massive strike in professional sports in the US. And up again
when the NBA postponed playoff games on Wednesday night after the Milwaukee Bucks refused to
play in their matchup to show solidarity with Jacob Blake, we wanna show you a bit of the
statement that was released yesterday by players from the Milwaukee Bucks.
>> The past four months have shed a light on the ongoing racial injustices facing our
African American community, as citizens around the country that have used their voices and
platform to speak out against these wrongdoings. Over the last few days in our home state of
Wisconsin, we've seen the horrendous video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back seven
times by a police officer in Kenosha, and the additional shooting of protesters.
Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action. So, our focus today
cannot be on basketball. >> When we take to the court and represent
Milwaukee and Wisconsin, we are expected to play at a high level, give maximum effort,
and hold each other accountable. We hold ourselves to that standard, and in this moment, we are
demanding the same from lawmakers, and law enforcement.
We're calling for justice for Jacob Blake, and demand the officers be held accountable.
For this to occur, it is imperative for the Wisconsin State Legislators to reconvene after
months of inaction, and take up meaningful measures to address issues of police accountability,
brutality, and criminal justice reform. We encourage all citizens to educate themselves,
take peaceful and responsible action, and remember to vote on November 3rd, on the behalf
of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Do you guys intend to finish the season? >> I love that obviously. I love that they
didn't answer questions. And so, look, it started there, it spread rapidly. The strike
has now spread beyond the NBA to the WNBA, the MLB, Major League Soccer, and tennis,
as well.
And that's as of when I'm producing this. I don't know exactly where it's gonna be as
of right now. But, Michael, obviously you spend a lot more time watching sports than
I do, at least right now. In the past I did a variety of sports, but this seems pretty
huge.
>> Yeah, it's major. And it's major in what has been a really odd sports year. Obviously,
it's been an odd year for everything, but for sports, as well. And the NBA is living
inside a bubble right now in Orlando. And they're playing their games there so as to
avoid COVID, obviously.
But that they're all under one roof, essentially, and doing this, this sort of unanimity is
so important. And that it's spread to baseball too, is important.
>> Mm-hm. >> Baseball is, the Major League Baseball,
is a tight old boys network there. And this is not the kind of move that they would generally
make or endorse, ownership wouldn't do that.
And that to me says more about what's going on than what happened in the NBA. Though,
of course, it gets more of a highlight. It's the Milwaukee Bucks, they're from the town
so close to Kenosha, the Brewers, the baseball team, also didn't play. And I heard one commentator
today, someone I actually know, saying that they think it's a big risk for the NBA to
do this.
They just wanna alienate all their Republican fans, which was about as tone deaf a thing
to say, I can imagine. Because, a, it shouldn't be about, this isn't a Republican or a Democrat
thing, right? You should have Republicans who say I understand what you're doing. I
understand the frustration.
It's not really sort of an idealist thing for me to say that. I don't know why these
sorts of things don't galvanize people. Not everybody, but galvanize some people to say,
I understand it. You did hear them say that you gotta get out and vote on November 3rd.
They didn't say how you have to vote, although I think it was probably more implicit.
>> Yeah. >> Because of the climate. And maybe that
turned some people off. But, this is too important, social justice has to trump fun and games
here. And I think that the NBA is realizing that, and it's very, very important.
And it's important too because black role models in America, often, and white role models
too, but especially in the NBA, it has been the dream of so many African American young
men to make it to the NBA. When they see the people that they idolize most, speak up, and
for things that they care about, then it has that much more importance.
>> Yeah, and, of course, when they do speak up, they get told to shut up and dribble because
they're just athletes. They're not supposed to be concerned about politics. We don't care
what these athletes think about politics, except if it's Herschel Walker. If it's Herschel
Walker, then it's important, we already know what's going on.
>> Right. >> But anyway, yeah.
>> Herschel Walker hasn't played professional sports in like 25 years also.
>> Yeah, but still fine if he supports the president, fine. Okay, that's good.
>> Right. >> But can we not pretend that we don't care
about whole groups, when really it's just we don't care if they disagree with us.
You don't hate Hollywood, you just apparently hate successful Hollywood, because you always
got Dean Cain, and people like that on. So anyway-
>> Yeah. >> So, credit to the Bucks for helping to
launch this and to, like the Major League Baseball, cuz, as you point out, not generally
political in this way.
But also to the WNBA, who got involved in this very quickly, and I fear might be sort
of passed over in people's acknowledgement of what's going on. I don't know exactly what's
going on with hockey, Michael. Is it likely that they're gonna take part in this?
>> They are playing all their games in Canada now.
They're playing in Toronto and they're playing in Edmonton. They're doing their playoffs.
Hockey has not done anything like this yet. >> Yeah.
>> And I don't know if they will or not. They don't have a team in Milwaukee. Doesn't mean
you have to have a team in Wisconsin to do this.
But, they were very, very active. The Minnesota Wild were, during the George Floyd protests
in terms of speaking out against what was going on.
>> Yeah. >> I'm not certain what they're doing in this
case. >> Yeah, and by the way, just for some people
who, we should always be willing to challenge our assumptions and stuff like that.
And one is in how the messaging is going around this. Because, a lot of the coverage, immediately,
and even in New York Times and everything, is that, this is a boycott that's going on.
It's not a boycott. Though these collective actions have been categorized by many, including
by some of the players and members of the media, as a boycott, which is withholding
one's money from a commercial entity and protest, it's actually a strike, in which workers withhold
their labor.
Specifically, the players are engaging in a wildcat strike, a work stoppage without
union approval, that's now spread across, obviously, multiple groups, and without the
the support of multiple unions. And that is important because this is not about consumers
striking back, this is about workers using their power. And many people believe that
the only way that we're gonna get through on a lot of these topics was something far
broader than this including a general strike.
And so if this is the beginnings of that, let's call it what it is, I think. I also
want to just very briefly mention, so you mentioned that, the MLB is involved, and they
don't generally get involved. This is gonna seem stupid. I apologize in advance, but there
are people that I look up to, that I think have a lot of influence, who never get involved
in politics, and it frustrates me, sometimes.
But I know this one individual, who I don't think ever comments on politics. Tweeted this,
from Dwayne Johnson, out of respect for Jacob Blake and his family, we'll postpone our @projectrock
@underarmour PR3 launch today. I'll keep you posted on our relaunch date. Unbelievable
we're here again. Shot seven times in the back in front of his kids.
There's no progress without humanity. And maybe I'm wrong.
>> Yeah. >> The Rock, he's got this massive business
side, and obviously is a huge movie star. He doesn't alienate anyone on social media.
But even he is pushing back dates and commenting on this police brutality.
>> Yeah, I mean, it's encouraging the more people to do this.
And to answer your NHL question I looked something up while we were talking. And Matt Dumba and
Evander Kane who are African Canadians, although Dumba maybe American, who are prominent. One
of them Dumba started the Hockey Diversity Alliance. They're criticizing the NHL for
not doing enough. They did their moments of silence before some games.
They did acknowledge it, even though these games are being played in Toronto and Edmonton.
So, it's important that they're trying to get something done there.
>> Yeah. >> But the league hasn't done anything yet.