Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William C. Rhoden

Sep 07, 2007 Jamal105 added it · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone interested in reading it.

Shelves: sports

This book is a must read especially for those among us who claim that these Million Dollar athletes should do more in the community. While that is a valid conversation, those same people who say this, never take the time to understand the centuries old games and institutions that are at work here. Also, why isn't this book on the New York Times Best Seller List, while Tyler Perry's "Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life " is? Just one o...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Della S.white rated it 3 of 5 stars

Adrian Peterson, an NFL football star, was criticized recently for making a comparison between his job and slavery. Even in the current context of labor disputes between owners and players in the NFL and NBA, such an idea seems laughable. Yet, it has gained some traction among athletes. I wanted to read a little about the subject to figure out why some people believe this.

I first became aware of this book when I heard that it was the only book Kemba Walker, one of the top college basketball play...more Adrian Peterson, an NFL football star, was criticized recently for making a comparison between his job and slavery. Even in the current context of labor disputes between owners and players in the NFL and NBA, such an idea seems laughable. Yet, it has gained some traction among athletes. I wanted to read a little about the subject to figure out why some people believe this.

I first became aware of this book when I heard that it was the only book Kemba Walker, one of the top college basketball players this season, had ever read. That a student can graduate from the University of Connecticut in three years while only reading one book doesn't say much about the quality of an education there. The fact that this book is what was the only required reading says even less.

I came away from this reading entirely unimpressed by the analogies drawn between slavery and the situation of the modern black athlete. The author, William Rhoden, has a very difficult time separating the battles between owners and players from racism, and that's the fundamental flaw in this book. There are very real issues in modern sports about how players should be compensated for their labor. But in no way is this a problem that is unique to black players, though the author paints it as a simple "white owners controlling black players" situation. I think athletes have much more power and influence than the author seems to believe. And just because owners write the checks and players conform to rules of the organization, it doesn't mean that slavery is an apt description of the relationship. It's the same in any job, no matter what color your skin is.

Likewise, the "Conveyor Belt" that moves talented kids from their hometowns up to best colleges and pro leagues is a very interesting topic, but very little about it is uniquely applicable to his central thesis of racism in modern sports. Similar systems exist in other countries and other sports (and Mr. Rhoden briefly admits that before completely ignoring the point). Teams want to pick talented players, and there have been systems developed to identify that talent. It's not just black players who end up leaving their communities to play sports elsewhere; it is a fairly universal occurrence. Again, these are significant issues in sports. But to force them all to be seen within the prism of racism is wrong. Evoking images of slavery can stifle debate and sell books, but that doesn't make it right or accurate.
A few of the things that shocked me in the book were the author's negative attitudes toward Jackie Robinson and Michael Jordan. Most view them as having made major contributions toward the acceptance of black athletes in America, but the author considers them sell-outs in different ways. He also has different thoughts about integration in general. While most see the racial integration of major sports as an unqualified good, he prefers to emphasize the negatives (e.g., the decline of historically black colleges and universities once black players could go to bigger schools). He is also extremely critical of athletes who don't use their celebrity, success, or money, to advocate the political positions that he (the author) holds. The author certainly has strong feelings about how African-American communities could be improved, and has great passion on this issue of how athletes can help solve the problem. In my opinion, where he goes wrong is in his hostility toward athletes who don't fit his mold and whose actions don't further his political agenda.

In summary, I really didn't like this book, and I disagreed strongly with the author's worldview. In his second to last paragraph he states that "racism is more virulent and determined than ever before". Earlier in the book, he claims that though people will root for athletes of different races, "behind the cheering lurks angry resentment". I don't think these statements are even close to being true. I certainly don't think racism is entirely a relic of the past, but the vast majority of people completely look beyond the color of a person's skin. Mr. Rhoden did not convince me that slavery is a reasonable analogy for describing the plight of modern black athletes. Despite not enjoying the book, I'd still recommend it to sports fans, and encourage you to make your own conclusions(less)

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Apr 26, 2011 Andrew rated it 2 of 5 stars

Adrian Peterson, an NFL football star, was criticized recently for making a comparison between his job and slavery. Even in the current context of labor disputes between owners and players in the NFL and NBA, such an idea seems laughable. Yet, it has gained some traction among athletes. I wanted to read a little about the subject to figure out why some people believe this.

I first became aware of this book when I heard that it was the only book Kemba Walker, one of the top college basketball play...more Adrian Peterson, an NFL football star, was criticized recently for making a comparison between his job and slavery. Even in the current context of labor disputes between owners and players in the NFL and NBA, such an idea seems laughable. Yet, it has gained some traction among athletes. I wanted to read a little about the subject to figure out why some people believe this.

I first became aware of this book when I heard that it was the only book Kemba Walker, one of the top college basketball players this season, had ever read. That a student can graduate from the University of Connecticut in three years while only reading one book doesn't say much about the quality of an education there. The fact that this book is what was the only required reading says even less.

I came away from this reading entirely unimpressed by the analogies drawn between slavery and the situation of the modern black athlete. The author, William Rhoden, has a very difficult time separating the battles between owners and players from racism, and that's the fundamental flaw in this book. There are very real issues in modern sports about how players should be compensated for their labor. But in no way is this a problem that is unique to black players, though the author paints it as a simple "white owners controlling black players" situation. I think athletes have much more power and influence than the author seems to believe. And just because owners write the checks and players conform to rules of the organization, it doesn't mean that slavery is an apt description of the relationship. It's the same in any job, no matter what color your skin is.

Likewise, the "Conveyor Belt" that moves talented kids from their hometowns up to best colleges and pro leagues is a very interesting topic, but very little about it is uniquely applicable to his central thesis of racism in modern sports. Similar systems exist in other countries and other sports (and Mr. Rhoden briefly admits that before completely ignoring the point). Teams want to pick talented players, and there have been systems developed to identify that talent. It's not just black players who end up leaving their communities to play sports elsewhere; it is a fairly universal occurrence. Again, these are significant issues in sports. But to force them all to be seen within the prism of racism is wrong. Evoking images of slavery can stifle debate and sell books, but that doesn't make it right or accurate.

A few of the things that shocked me in the book were the author's negative attitudes toward Jackie Robinson and Michael Jordan. Most view them as having made major contributions toward the acceptance of black athletes in America, but the author considers them sell-outs in different ways. He also has different thoughts about integration in general. While most see the racial integration of major sports as an unqualified good, he prefers to emphasize the negatives (e.g., the decline of historically black colleges and universities once black players could go to bigger schools). He is also extremely critical of athletes who don't use their celebrity, success, or money, to advocate the political positions that he (the author) holds. The author certainly has strong feelings about how African-American communities could be improved, and has great passion on this issue of how athletes can help solve the problem. In my opinion, where he goes wrong is in his hostility toward athletes who don't fit his mold and whose actions don't further his political agenda.

In summary, I really didn't like this book, and I disagreed strongly with the author's worldview. In his second to last paragraph he states that "racism is more virulent and determined than ever before". Earlier in the book, he claims that though people will root for athletes of different races, "behind the cheering lurks angry resentment". I don't think these statements are even close to being true. I certainly don't think racism is entirely a relic of the past, but the vast majority of people completely look beyond the color of a person's skin. Mr. Rhoden did not convince me that slavery is a reasonable analogy for describing the plight of modern black athletes. Despite not enjoying the book, I'd still recommend it to sports fans, and encourage you to make your own conclusions.(less)

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Oct 14, 2010 Lauren rated it 1 of 5 stars

I’m not even going to bother with the niceties. Here’s a brief sampling of what didn’t work about this book:
(1) If your book reads like an angry op ed run in a college newspaper, you did not do enough research.
(2) Primary sources. They’re awesome. Try them sometime.
(3) If you’re going to talk about black women in sports and you only give a cursory mention to the Williams sister and Cheryl Miller – to say nothing about Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, et al. – you’re not doing your job.
(4) If you’re...more I’m not even going to bother with the niceties. Here’s a brief sampling of what didn’t work about this book:
(1) If your book reads like an angry op ed run in a college newspaper, you did not do enough research.
(2) Primary sources. They’re awesome. Try them sometime.
(3) If you’re going to talk about black women in sports and you only give a cursory mention to the Williams sister and Cheryl Miller – to say nothing about Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, et al. – you’re not doing your job.
(4) If you’re going to try and pin everything on white people (and do nothing to differentiate people from the system), give readers more than a random assortment of quotes and no hard evidence.
(5) If you’re going to discuss how college sports neglect athletes and turn them into automatons, not mentioning how many athletes are shepherded through the educational system without having to learn anything might be worth mentioning. I’d even think education that’s a farce would help underline the point of the book, which is that, as the title suggests, black athletes are little more than well-paid slaves, used for entertainment and discarded when convenient.
(6) For that matter, what about mentioning all of the kids who base their entire lives around being professional athletes and flame out? What does the system do to them?
(7) And hey, in addition to those $40-million dollar athletes, there are a lot of black men who play professionally and sustain life-altering injuries and/or make comparably little money. Seems like they might be worth including or mentioning.
(8) No mention of Magic Johnson? Really? How about Elgin Baylor? Isiah Thomas? Reggie Miller? But an entire chapter bitching about Michael Jordan? Why is a nonfiction book centering on race and sports a good outlet for a whole chapter on unresolved issues about Air Jordan?
(9) I could be wrong, but black culture is more than urban hip-hop. Why no discussion on how Madison Avenue adopted that culture and made it The Black Culture in America (and, by extension, created a mold for black athletes?)?
(10) Most people have to play nice at their jobs. And most of them don’t get paid lots of money in the process. More than that, have you ever had to work with someone really difficult? Because, if you have, why would you want to applaud and encourage being difficult at work? And isn't it possible that some difficult athletes are not promoted into management positions because they've been difficult?
(11) And this is what really gets to me: Why does every black athlete have to conform to one man’s narrow idea of what a black athlete should aspire to? Isn’t it their life and their decision, even if others may not agree?

Look, there are some major issues and problems in American sports culture. And a book discussing race and professional sports – and the exploitation of black men as disposable entertainment for the masses – is sorely needed. But this book adds very little to the subject, missing key points and lacking any sort of deep analysis and research to generate discussion on the subject. What information is included is narrow and selective, included to prove the author’s opinion and not much else. And, well, the organization is just random: chronological but not, endless repetition, unnecessary personal details of the author’s life mixed in with rants and the occasional quote. I give this book points for addressing an area of American culture that is sorely misunderstood – and I hope the idea for this book will encourage someone else to publish the book this subject deserves. Not recommended. (less)

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Nov 06, 2010 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Open-minded sports fans

Shelves: games-and-sports

An interesting take on labor relations in sports, specifically examining the history of labor relations between African-American athletes and the wealthy owners and promoters who pay them to compete. I decided to give it a look after NFL star Maurice Jones-Drew mentioned in an interview that he thought every pro athlete should read it. William Rhoden, the author, is a New York Times sports columnist, and his journalistic background means this is a very thoroughly researched and reasonably argued...more

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Aug 26, 2010 Wingedbeaver rated it 2 of 5 stars

Race is a touchy subject. The pretense of any argument about it is kind of a Catch-22. If you're white you're not allowed to comment or your opinion is of no value, which means only the minority groups get to discuss it. How are we supposed to move forward when only one group gets any say? I'm pretty sure that's how we got here in the first place. 40 Million Dollar Slaves by William C. Rhoden is a book about the black athlete and all the problems they still face today. To properly discuss the bo...more Race is a touchy subject. The pretense of any argument about it is kind of a Catch-22. If you're white you're not allowed to comment or your opinion is of no value, which means only the minority groups get to discuss it. How are we supposed to move forward when only one group gets any say? I'm pretty sure that's how we got here in the first place. 40 Million Dollar Slaves by William C. Rhoden is a book about the black athlete and all the problems they still face today. To properly discuss the book I guess I should start by saying I'm white and that, I feel, the only way we are going to improve race relations in this country is to find a way to allow all sides to have a valid opinion. Maybe that is something that can only come with time, the more removed me become from slavery and Jim Crow laws, the more we will be able to except the view of the other color. Maybe, because I'm white and because we aren't more then a generation removed from the Civil Rights Movement, my opinions on this book aren't valid. Those of you who know me probably know validity has never stopped me before.

I've always thought that professional sports has done a great disservice to the black community in this country. Our society tells young black kids the only chance they have to make something of themselves, the only way to get out of the ghetto, is to either become a rapper or play professional sports. The message has become, accomplish one of those two things and you will make tons of money and be a success. I can't help but think of the old saying, "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for life." Kids spend one year in collage and then jump right to pro levels so as not to miss out on a pay day because success seems to be measured by how much one makes. Shouldn't the message be, to be a success you need to get an education. If sports gets you into college, use it, if you want to go on and have a pro career, do it, but get the education first. You may make millions by being a professional athlete, but by getting an education and having skills for when your sports days are over you become a bigger help to your community.

I picked up 40 Million Dollar Slaves hoping that this topic would be discussed. I hoped someone from the black community might express some of the same fears and disservices that I saw and felt. And to some degree Rhoden did. He talks through most of the book of the importance of community and how athletics seems to pull black children from that community. He talks about the "Conveyor Belt" system that pushes kids from a very early age towards professional sports and molds them into a product. Even with all that addressed, I couldn't help but feel Rhoden missed the point, that his own thoughts on race relations caused him to focus on issues of his own design and not the greater issues at hand.

As the title suggests, the central theme of the book is that even though we are centuries removed from slavery in this country the black athlete is essentially a 40 million dollar slave. Rhoden feels that since there is only one black owner in all of sports (at the time of the books writing it was Charlotte Bobcats owner Robert Johnson who has since sold majority interest to Michael Jordan) black athletes must still bend to the whim of their white owners much like slaves. I hate to point this out to Mr. Rhoden, but most of this country whether black, white, yellow or red, is in the same predicament and none of them make 40 million dollars doing so. I am much more a slave to a white master then anyone in professional sports. At least 40 million dollars gives you the chance to accomplish financial freedom. I don't have that option. I will be working for "The Man" for the rest of my life and the color of my skin has nothing to do with it. Professional athletes are nothing like slaves other then in some thin analogy that insults the hard working majority of the country. Mr. Rhoden might argue that athletes just have favored slave status, much like how house slaves were looked at in the past, but once again I say in this day and age, color has nothing to do with it. If the black athlete is a slave, so is the white one. To make it a racial issue is an unfair analysis of what is going on in the country.

Another problem I have with Rhoden's book is his discussion of swagger. He holds up "style" as a desirable black trait, a sign of ones blackness, that the white man to this day tries to snuff out. His example is Willie Mays, whose undeniable style on a baseball field has made him one of the greatest ballplayers of all time. The white institutions that run sports tend to see displays of black style, like those displayed by Mays, as threatening and try to put in rules to keep the black athlete and his style down. I can't deny that black athletes have added style and entertainment to the world of sports. Athletes like Mays and Ali and Doctor J have made sports that much more exciting and interesting to watch. But if Rhoden's major point is that black athlete's are pulled from their community and are forced to turn their back of the people and places that make them black, why would you hold up this idea of style, an idea that at it's very nature separates one from everyone else? I don't see how you mention players like Mays but ignore the Hank Aarons or Bill Russelss or Magic Johnsons who may have showed less "style" on the playing field but took great pains to help and stay connected to the very community you don't want future athletes to turn their backs on. The natural progression, in my mind, of Willie Mays is Terrell Owens and Ron Artest. Players that are far to concerned with their own celebrity to worry about others. I wish Rhoden focused more on players who have tried to make a difference in their community instead of holding up athletes as a paradigm of blackness who aren't doing the community any good.

This book was first published in 2006. I find it interesting that one of the subjects he talks about is the Fab 5, five high school basketball players who decided to take control of the college recruitment process and all go to the same school. Rhoden applauds the idea of the players taking control of the system and the potential such a action has of black athletes gaining some control of their own destinies. It makes me wonder... Did Lebron James and Dwyane Wade read this book? If so, they got it all wrong. Rhoden says although the Fab 5 had a great idea they messed up their choice in colleges. If they truly wanted to gain some power for the black community they would have gone to a black college, like Grambling or Alcorn, instead of white Michigan. Lebron and Wade made the same mistake. Don't confuse their intentions. Whether they read the book or not, their choice had nothing to do with black power and everything to do with having fun with the Miami night life. I'm sure Rhoden himself would say the two superstars had a chance to make a statement, they could have pushed for the black owned Charlotte team to sign them. Potentially setting up the first championship held by a black owner (even if the owner already has 6 trophies). But seriously, have you been to a bar in Charlotte?

There were many theories brought up by Rhoden that I found dead on. Some of them probably more controversial then the ones I didn't agree with, like the idea that Jackie Robinson's integration in Major League Baseball set back black athletes by destroying the Negro leagues. But I couldn't help walking away from the book feeling he had gotten it all slightly wrong. That the major points he was trying to make were misguided. I certainly recommend other pick it up and give it a read, it's well written and argued and if nothing else should spark discussion, but I can't say I agree with its message as a whole.(less)

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Aug 03, 2011 Ryan Mishap rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: race-anti-racist, sports

"Integration in sports--as opposed to integration at the ballot box or in public conveyances--was a winning proposition for the whites who controlled the sports-industrial complex. They could move to exploit black muscle and talent, thus sucking the life out of black institutions, while at the same time giving themselves credit for being humanitarians."

The quote above gives you a good idea of the main argument in this book that traces black athletes from slavery to modern day sports. The title a...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Della S.white rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Adrian Peterson, an NFL football star, was criticized recently for making a comparison between his job and slavery. Even in the current context of labor disputes between owners and players in the NFL and NBA, such an idea seems laughable. Yet, it has gained some traction among athletes. I wanted to read a little about the subject to figure out why some people believe this.

I first became aware of this book when I heard that it was the only book Kemba Walker, one of the top college basketball play...more Adrian Peterson, an NFL football star, was criticized recently for making a comparison between his job and slavery. Even in the current context of labor disputes between owners and players in the NFL and NBA, such an idea seems laughable. Yet, it has gained some traction among athletes. I wanted to read a little about the subject to figure out why some people believe this.

I first became aware of this book when I heard that it was the only book Kemba Walker, one of the top college basketball players this season, had ever read. That a student can graduate from the University of Connecticut in three years while only reading one book doesn't say much about the quality of an education there. The fact that this book is what was the only required reading says even less.

I came away from this reading entirely unimpressed by the analogies drawn between slavery and the situation of the modern black athlete. The author, William Rhoden, has a very difficult time separating the battles between owners and players from racism, and that's the fundamental flaw in this book. There are very real issues in modern sports about how players should be compensated for their labor. But in no way is this a problem that is unique to black players, though the author paints it as a simple "white owners controlling black players" situation. I think athletes have much more power and influence than the author seems to believe. And just because owners write the checks and players conform to rules of the organization, it doesn't mean that slavery is an apt description of the relationship. It's the same in any job, no matter what color your skin is.

Likewise, the "Conveyor Belt" that moves talented kids from their hometowns up to best colleges and pro leagues is a very interesting topic, but very little about it is uniquely applicable to his central thesis of racism in modern sports. Similar systems exist in other countries and other sports (and Mr. Rhoden briefly admits that before completely ignoring the point). Teams want to pick talented players, and there have been systems developed to identify that talent. It's not just black players who end up leaving their communities to play sports elsewhere; it is a fairly universal occurrence. Again, these are significant issues in sports. But to force them all to be seen within the prism of racism is wrong. Evoking images of slavery can stifle debate and sell books, but that doesn't make it right or accurate.
A few of the things that shocked me in the book were the author's negative attitudes toward Jackie Robinson and Michael Jordan. Most view them as having made major contributions toward the acceptance of black athletes in America, but the author considers them sell-outs in different ways. He also has different thoughts about integration in general. While most see the racial integration of major sports as an unqualified good, he prefers to emphasize the negatives (e.g., the decline of historically black colleges and universities once black players could go to bigger schools). He is also extremely critical of athletes who don't use their celebrity, success, or money, to advocate the political positions that he (the author) holds. The author certainly has strong feelings about how African-American communities could be improved, and has great passion on this issue of how athletes can help solve the problem. In my opinion, where he goes wrong is in his hostility toward athletes who don't fit his mold and whose actions don't further his political agenda.

In summary, I really didn't like this book, and I disagreed strongly with the author's worldview. In his second to last paragraph he states that "racism is more virulent and determined than ever before". Earlier in the book, he claims that though people will root for athletes of different races, "behind the cheering lurks angry resentment". I don't think these statements are even close to being true. I certainly don't think racism is entirely a relic of the past, but the vast majority of people completely look beyond the color of a person's skin. Mr. Rhoden did not convince me that slavery is a reasonable analogy for describing the plight of modern black athletes. Despite not enjoying the book, I'd still recommend it to sports fans, and encourage you to make your own conclusions.
(less)

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Apr 21, 2010 Vannessagrace Vannessagrace rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, william-c-rhoden

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to write a review befitting this book and came up with nothing. For me, the best way for this book to be reviewed is quotes taken directly from the book.

Forty Million Dollar Slaves is an important read if we want to understand the black athlete.

“In their failure to heed the lessons of history, today’s black athletes are squandering the best opportunities yet for acquiring real power in the sports industry.” P. 2

“Ignorance of the past makes it diffi...more I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to write a review befitting this book and came up with nothing. For me, the best way for this book to be reviewed is quotes taken directly from the book.

Forty Million Dollar Slaves is an important read if we want to understand the black athlete.

“In their failure to heed the lessons of history, today’s black athletes are squandering the best opportunities yet for acquiring real power in the sports industry.” P. 2

“Ignorance of the past makes it difficult for black athletes today to united and confront the issues of the present. This contemporary tribe, with access to unprecedented wealth, is lost, precisely because it has failed to complete what New York Sun editor Charles Dana described as the black athlete’s “rise against white supremacy.” On the contrary, African American athletes, blinded by a lack of history of what preceded them, have played a major role in helping maintain an unfair, corrupt, destructive system.” P. 7

“Sports on the plantation were used as diversions to dull the revolutionary instinct.” P. 49

"Integration also stopped a growing momentum toward independence and self-definition within the African American community. Integration in the 1970s stifled a movement within the black community toward empowerment and community building that began as a result of African Americans—including athletes—being forced out of integrated sports society in the 1880s and 1890s."

"In the process of integration, there was also a psychic loss, in that many African American athletes became estranged from the communities that produced." P. 136

"How tough is it to buy an inner-city kid? Buy him some shoes, take him to dinner, and get him some nice clothes, maybe a car. You become his best friend, and he gets hooked like a junkie,” Rudy Washington said. “Then you control the product. The secret is controlling the produce early It’s just like slavery. Modern-day slavery is what it is." P. 178

If these direct quotes haven’t convinced you to read Forty Million Dollar Slaves then nothing will.(less)

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Aug 24, 2007 Joshua rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: race, sports

William Rhoden's book is essentially about how we went from two black men raising their firsts at the 1968 to Michael Jordan wrapping himself in the American flag after winning the gold medal thirty years later. Tommie Smith and John Carlos were protesting the treatment of black people in America; Michael Jordan was hiding the Reebok logo on his warmups.

"I feel very strongly about loyalty to my own company," Jordan explained.

Rhoden makes some interesting points, and tells some great stories, but...more

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Jun 23, 2008 Nikita T. Mitchell rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone, particularly african-american athletes for whom it is a MUST READ.

Shelves: recommendations

This book provides a great historical account of the progression of African-Americans in sports. There was so much that I never knew and that all black folks need to be knowledgeable about - particularly the athletes in our communities.

The book was supposed to provide a discussion on "The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete." While Rhoden did a phenomenal job with the "Rise" and provided great insights into the "Fall," I was hoping for a bit more for the "Redemption" aspect. He prov...more

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May 22, 2007 Dan M rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really like William Rhoden's voice in this book that's been 10 years in the making. It's definitely well thought out, but I feel torn about what the book accomplishes in the end. I feel like it's a great start... a great introduction to what it means to be a black athlete on "the conveyor belt" today, but it lacks in the end. The first half of the book is a good history lesson--dissappointingly, one which many people will not learn in school--discussing the Jockey Syndrom. The latter half of t...more I really like William Rhoden's voice in this book that's been 10 years in the making. It's definitely well thought out, but I feel torn about what the book accomplishes in the end. I feel like it's a great start... a great introduction to what it means to be a black athlete on "the conveyor belt" today, but it lacks in the end. The first half of the book is a good history lesson--dissappointingly, one which many people will not learn in school--discussing the Jockey Syndrom. The latter half of the book uses contemporary examples of the disconnect created by a system that is inherently unequal and the larger free market forces at work.

For example, Rhoden criticises Micheal Jordan for upholding a neutral position when it came to issues of race. According to Rhoden, for all his wealth, fame and bravado, Jordan was poised in a unique position that could have sparked a revolution for Black Americans not only in sports but in life in general. Should the fact that he chose to remain unconfrontational be held against him? Should the fact that he built an identity, a brand and a business for himself be lessened because he chose not to help the less fortunate (at least publicly)?

Ultimately, the question you're left with at the end is, "What does any one person owe to the racial struggle from which they came, but did not experience first hand?"

Many say that you owe your very existence and it is your responsibility to use your opportunity to benefit those less fortunate. Others will say that it is the realization of the American Dream to be able to succeed in a free market economy and enough to enjoy the spoils you earned. I believe Rhoden thinks that without a proper understanding of the history of black struggle in America, you are never safe from the Jockey Effect, which is a bold statement to say in today's atmosphere of political correctness, but I understand what he means. He also hints at that the struggle has yet to be won, because the very definition of 'winning' is always changing. So therefore, if the struggle continues, then whose side are you on? Also, if the definition of winning the struggle always changes, then can the struggle ever be won?

Civil liberties groups are getting a workout right now, because the free market is finding that certain needs are creating somewhat self segregated products/services. There's the hotel with an all-womens floor, for example. But there's a difference between a group wanting to separate themselves for a little respite, rather than being forced to be separated due to inequality. It's a fine line to walk, indeed.

I wish Rhoden would have gone more into what he thinks needs to be accomplished. A call to arms perhaps. But maybe, it was intentional. Maybe, he wants black Americans in a position of influence In America to come up with their own solutions. But then, doesn't that suggest that he's not doing all he can to further the cause? I don't know the answer to that. (less)

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Apr 02, 2012 Rhonda Walker rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, I gave some insight on what we don't see in going on in a world that's full of gilts and glam. This goes to show you that the old saying, "everything that glitters ain't gold" is true. these athletes are being used and even exploited for a fat paycheck. I guess you have to ask yourself is it worth it.

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Nov 30, 2009 Tippy Jackson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: culture, economics, history, sports

The story of Michael Jordan being shut out from ownership after coming out of retirement for the wizards was something I was completely unfamiliar with and I found it appalling. Also, this book offered an interesting perspective on the famous Jackie Robinson story and his role in baseball history. Well written and interesting, even for very non-sports following people like me.

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Feb 07, 2009 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book changed how I viewed sports. I can't follow it the same way anymore, and that is for the better. It's truly sickening how much we stand on the shoulders of others for a laugh and entertainment. Just despicable.

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May 24, 2009 Steven Salaita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rhoden can be strident at times in demanding political action of athletes, but this is a type of engaged and intelligent sports journalism that sadly is rare and regularly marginalized.

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Jan 27, 2008 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone - especially athletes, former athletes, people involved in athletics

A radical examination of the role of the Black male athlete in the emergence of the sports-industry complex in the United States, as well as a scathing critique of assimilationist "integration was and is good!" attitudes. As someone who grew up aware of popular sports news stories and glued to ESPN, this book is crucial in its mapping-out of the truly racist power dynamics that sustain the billion-dollar U.S. athletic industry. Rhoden brilliantly illuminates how extreme capitalism and racism com...more

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Mar 13, 2009 Ona rated it 3 of 5 stars

Great premise, but limited analysis. Would love to see a really great social historian write a book on the same subject.

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Jun 18, 2011 Sean rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thought provoking look at the black athelete in society... great, well-researched book.

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Mar 28, 2008 Crystal Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: sports buffs, history buffs, and people interested in Black History

Recommended to Crystal Marie by: Sports in Society Professor

Shelves: black-studies

I read this book for a class in undergrad, and I was at first angry at how much I didn't know/wasn't told to me about the history of Black Americans in sports. Once I got over the initial disappointment of feeling like I've never known anything about the sports industry, I was really able to enjoy this book. There was so much history, social commentary, and information that provides a refreshing, if depressing perspective on sports. I recommend it to people who like to learn about the way the wo...more

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Jun 23, 2007 Matt rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who has paid more than twenty dollars to see a sporting event

Shelves: summer

Unfortunately, the contents of this book are not nearly as provocative as the title. Nonetheless, it should be required reading for sports fans, especially white ones. Rhoden's depiction of the African American athlete as a slave is difficult to digest, especially given the amount of money they make for the type of work that they do. However, the position of the black athlete within what Rhoden calls the "sports-industrial complex" is all too reflective of the position of the average African Ame...more

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Aug 19, 2010 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very eye opening. Never thought of sports like this.

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Jan 22, 2012 Desiree rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: poc-author-content, finished-and-reviewed

Quite informative and thought-provoking.

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Mar 12, 2009 Shellie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: random-sampling, non-fiction

Very interesting and informative.

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Jun 09, 2008 Chris rated it 2 of 5 stars

Not bad so much as simply misnamed, a historical revue presenting itself as a book with something to say about the contemporary athlete. Only rarely. I was hoping to get something that might give me insight into the life of contemporary basketball players within the context of racial struggle. Given the inflammatory title and the, um, basketball on the cover, this didn't seem an unreasonable hope, but the treatment of everything from the Jordan era to today is too cursory to be any more than fit...more

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Feb 22, 2008 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone teaching undergraduates about race, sports fans.

Recommended to Robin by: Ferentz

Shelves: teaching

Very intelligent distillation of race, class and power in the sports industrial complex. Rhoden's focus on sports helped my students connect the dots between their sports icons and racialized labor exploitation. The only drawback is the author falls woefully short on any analysis of race and masculinity. His decision to discuss gender solely in terms of women in sports is old-fashioned and strained.

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Nov 19, 2007 Steven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a very good look at race in athletics in America. It does a great job flushing out major myths about the black athelete and it illustrates how quite black atheletes need to be to suceed in the sports industry. I highly recomend this book to anyone, especially if you are interested in sports as more than just a betting device.

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Oct 31, 2012 LadyS rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

loved it. This book really provoked me to think about the continous African American struggle. a must read.

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Aug 09, 2008 Wylie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I care very little about sports; I'm interesting in them purely as a cultural phenomenon, but I get no pleasure out of watching them. Still, I found this book's dissection of sports through the lens of race compelling (I read it for a class).

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Sep 03, 2008 Myke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, sport

A good read but tough to finish. This one took me a while. It gets repetitive and the author keeps making reference to himself. It gets a little old. I'm more into the "just tell the story."

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