COMMENT MINING: UP FRONT

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"Now, children, this is Ladell Betts. He will disappoint you every single time you draft him."

Every year, fantasy sports consumes the lives of thousands of fans and even widows a few wives. But statistics show that just 1.6% of the fantasy masses is comprised of black players. In the latest issue of The Mag, Stephen A. Smith tries to figure out why. Needless to say, the discussion has gotten fierce on the conversation boards. Here's a sampling of reader comments from the last week. And, should you be so compelled, feel free to join the conversation here.

• metoo927 (1 week ago)
  Dunno if its just me but my head wants to explode when races are described in stereotypes. "Leisure time for black folks historically consists of direct interaction, the kind of experience you get at a family barbecue or hanging out with friends. Didn't know there was a black person poll on our interaction preferences but I guess it goes in line with all the other black people polls that I've never been a part of but get lumped into.


• huskrbkrno1 (1 week ago)
  Its funny to see all these people who are offended. When a black man makes a steriotypical comment that he gets paid to do, all these "white people" and "offended black people who dont want to be typecast" get all rilled up. Its and open discussion. If you dont want to read it, move on, quit crying, and realize its just one opinion. He got several others from his assosiates. He may seem closed minded and racist to you. For others, he speaks the truth and keeps it real which is refreshing. Espn needs him because he gives a real perspective on the way Inner city people think about todays opinions and news. There is no one else at espn who does that. Hate it or Love it thats 4 real beacause we would not get a real response from the rest of the staff thats why the question was posed to him in the first place.


• afroman8057 (1 week ago)
  so what does that mean for the 1.6 percent of black people who play fantasy sports? Heh I play fantasy sports and I don't have barbecues. Stephen may be on to something...


• PhinFan_1974 (1 week ago)
  Could it just be as simple as the fact that culturally blacks and whites just enjoy different things? Not that we don't share a lot of the same interest but we also just plain enjoy different stuff. So what.


• kuhlmajr (1 week ago)
  Did this idiot seriously just write an article about racial differences in FANTASY FOOTBALL? What other category of life can we honestly separate? Maybe Disney can make a movie about the first all black fantasy football league and the brave pioneers they were. Don't get me wrong, the BS that African-Americans have dealt with over the last couple centuries has been terrible, but how is the racial divide ever going to end when we're comparing every activity known to man by the race of the person doing it?


• r0chey (7 days ago)
  i hate reading comments after articles like these because then i am reminded of how ignorant most of the american populace is. as mr. smith has implied, it's less about fantasy sports and more about access. institutional racism, folks. it's apparent in high-speed internet access, and it's apparent here.


• REGINALDLKAPPA1 (7 days ago)
  Wow this article is unbelievable. Well my question is if black people don't play fantasy sports, why am I in three fantasy football leagues, one is 100% black and the other two 95% black. This article is just an example of the crazy racial assumptions that are made.


• Bric875 (7 days ago)
  My butt gets puckered anytime ESPN wants to create a topic based on the emotional response involving racisim. I know it exists it becomes a battlefield and it does bring awareness to the topic....but the reasons for it sometimes are not right and I'm not sure its right in this instance either....I'm just not clear on the intent for the topic or article....


• vikeaholic91 (6 days ago)
  If someone doesn't want to "waste their time" playing fantasy football that's cool. But I can bet it isn't because you're black. You as a PERSON have better things to do. Stop putting labels on people. Blacks fought over the right to be treated like and looked to as equals and all Stephen A. Smith seem to be doing is trying to keep people separated. Wake up LOSER!

  But what do I know... obviously not as much as the great Stephen A. Smith

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