Time To Boycott Nike, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN The Magazine

Within a week of the Gilbert Arenas / Javaris Crittenton suspensions for having whipped out their guns on each other in the locker room, Nike has the hair to run a two-page ad in both Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine featuring LeBron James and Kobe Bryant facing each other on opposite pages.  The ad is entitled “Prepare For Combat”, and the caption under Bryant’s picture says, “I don’t leave anything in the chamber”.

Of course, Nike denies any wrong-doing:  “The Nike print ad featuring Kobe Bryant was intended to illustrate his all out play and commitment on the basketball court,” Nike said in a statement.  Bullshit!  What, this was a coincidence?  And what about SI and ESPN?  Did no one at either of those publications see this connection? 

Excuse me, but I don’t think the folks at Nike, SI , and ESPN are as stupid as they would have us think.  I think they knew exactly what they were doing, and it’s irresponsible to say the least, and bordering on criminal.  Don’t we have enough problems in this country?  Will we now have to deal with ads plastered in magazines, newspapers and on TV encouraging our youth to shoot each other?  I think it’s high time we fought back with the best weapon we have – our wallets.  I’m calling for a boycott on Nike, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN The Magazine until they publicly admit they were wrong.  Maybe they should sponsor some public service announcements in favor of gun control just for good measure.

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Arenas and Crittenton Suspended

NBA Commisioner David Stern announced the suspension of Gilbert Arenas and Jarvis Crittenton of the Washington Wizards over the recent incident in the locker room that saw the two athletes draw their guns on each other.  The two have been suspended without pay for the rest of the season.  Arenas pleaded guilty Jan. 15 to a felony gun charge after the confrontation with Crittenton at the Verizon Center. 

Now, I know that Arenas is in the second year of a six year, $111 million contract.  He stands to lose about $147,000 per game for the 38 or so games that the Wizards have remaining this season.  And yes, that is a lot of money to lose.  But there’s more here than simply a violation of NBA regulations.  I mean, what kind of an environment exists in the NBA where there’s even the necessity for a regulation like that?  Do other sports have a “no guns in the locker room” rule?  (Really, I don’t know – do they?)  I can’t wait to see what kind of sentence, if any, is imposed by the courts on these two morons.  If you ask me, they belong in the cell next to Plaxico Burress, and for a much longer time.  Burress certainly deserved what he got for carrying a gun around with him, but at least he didn’t point it at anyone…other than himself…by accident.

Visit our web site at http://www.murrayhillsports.com for all your sports and fitness needs.