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The Chosen Few

| 10:38 AM ET  01.29 | When I read and hear some of the negative comments from co-workers , fans , and some sports writers about their thoughts on the NBA and why they don't watch it . I have a difficult time believing them because the stands are full in most arena's and rating are average to good . Why these small group of small minded people call them "Thugs" is beyond my comprehension . What most of them fail to realize is that these kids are no different than anybody else who were raised in two parent , single parent , grand parent , or foster home families and participated in sports activities to stay off the streets of the inner city and out of trouble . Whether it was basketball , baseball , football , hockey , soccer , it was for fun , and exercise , but they played to win . Now in this age of cable tv , the internet , video games , and mass merchandising , it's mega dollars , and big business . Mind you I only hear the term "Thugs" used when it comes to the black athlete and I think that is unfair for them to be tagged with that label . Is it because they don't speak the so-called kings english correctly , the way they dress , the way they walk or the amount of money they are making ? It's time to drop that negative unfair label put on these kids who didn't grow up with a silver spoon , and had the money to go to these institutions of higher learning to get good paying jobs with perks and benefits . Sports is their ticket to a better life and the American Dream . These are kids who started out playing the game for the love of it and not the love of money . The majority of them came from poor families and because they have a talent and are making millions , dosen't mean they don't have the same social , relationship , financial , and personal problems as any other spiritual being on this human journey . The synonym for the word thug is hoodlum, criminal , mugger , goon , gangster . The only people I know of that fit that description are Al Capone , John Dillinger , Bugsy Siegel , Dutch Schultz , Carlo Gambino , Paul Castellano , and Lucky Luciano . All of whom are dead and were once glorified and filled the seats at movie theaters throughout the world . They were the real thugs not the Allen Iverson's or Latrell Sprewell's or the likes of the NBA .