What Bird said in the interview is nothing but straight facts so I do not have an issue with anything he has said. He wanted to be guarded by the best and at that time when he played, those players were African American. Unless you cannot see at all, most of today's professional sports teams are made of African Americans, over 60% in some cases when you are talking about the NBA, NFL and MLB ranks. And while today those numbers may be dwindling in the NBA because our Black children think it's cool to be able to dunk and play one on one but can't hit a mid range jumper or be 75% from the free throw line, the fact still remains that for the most part, African Americans are still the crème of the crop when it comes to being the best in the league. Gray knows that and his producers know it too. If they don't darn set.

What Jim Gray did when he had two hall of famers in the midst of two FUTURE hall of famers was just blatantly racist in nature. He asked the only white guy in the mix beside himself a racial issue that he knew could have blown up in his face. Detractors can defend him all they want. Go right ahead and do so, I say. I want to hear someone from my profession explain to everyone out there how an interviewer who has Magic Johnson, LeBron James and Carmello Anthony sitting with Bird why ask a divisive question during a time when the world needs to be focusing on the game's past bridge builders and the game's future monument makers. How do you ask such a question? Better still why in the hell would you want to ask that question now during the Finals?

Okay let's forget the semantics for a minute. Let's forget that Gray forgot that he is nothing more than a white version of Ahmad Rashad (yeah I said it). Let's look at the fact that Bird did make some comments that undoubtedly need to be answered and what better venue than a Black sports website that is, pro-black. Why aren't there more Caucasian players in the game? My only answer is the fact that Bird also needs to realize that different socio-economic groups put importance on different things. Then when I say that I look at the answer a 19-year-old gives and I quickly understand why LeBron is who he is.

"I don't think so. I think the fans look at the game, [they're] not looking at the race. [They're] looking who can play basketball. Or who's athletic. ... When you [were] a kid and you used to go outside, it didn't matter who was the best player in the league. If Bird was my favorite player, I'm out shooting threes. ... If Magic was my [favorite] player, I'm out there throwing my best passes. It's not the race issue. If you can play the game of basketball, you know fans are gonna love you."

Take that ABC for trying to play a Johnnie Cochrane where it wasn't needed. This game is bigger than race and everyone else in the world knows that except Gray himself. Think about it for a moment. The NBA has made more diversity strides in the past 20 years or so than anyone. The Milwaukee Bucks hired Wayne Embry back in 1972. I was six years old when that happened. The league also has had numerous Black head coaches at a time when it was not feasible to do so and that was in the 1980s. Anyone remember K.C. Jones, Bird's old coach? Forget about how great Phil Jackson is with the Lakers. The fact that Jones won titles with an ALL WHITE team in Boston should tell Gray that race "ain't got nuffin'" to do with winning.

The bottom line to all of this minutia is the fact that Gray wanted to try and spice up what he thought was going to be a boring interview. Well I am sorry but if Jim Gray does not know how to ask some intriguing questions that can make two Hall of Famers think and two future stars ponder "what ifs", then maybe he isn't the man for the job. Give the job up. I'll take it. I have no problem asking tough questions. I don't have any friends in superstar status and I cannot be called Ahmad Rashad or Laker lap dog. In fact, the next time ABC wants a tough interview I have a suggestion. Hire Jimmy Kimball. At least if he's going to offend anyone it will come from a would be comic who got canned by one network and picked up on another. Then again, scratch that. Hey Mickey, let Wayne Brady do the interviewing. At least we can be entertained if the interview bombs.