Phil Jackson's remarks sign of our times

Earlier this week, the media was abuzz with a discussion of whether Phil Jackson's "posse" comment about LeBron James' business associates was racist.

But what the media has never addressed was the way Jackson was elevated by racism to heights greater than those he enjoyed atop his pillow-stacked throne on the sidelines while he coached the Bulls and Lakers to a combined 11 NBA titles.

So, if his most recent racist remark caused a chink in the armor Jackson’s 11 rings encased him in, the damage pales in comparison to the way he has historically benefited from the implicit bias that empowers White America.

Racism towards African-Americans and Jackson were linked well before “posse” popped up all over Twitter.

Just last season, D’Angelo Russell was labeled a snitch, a term with incredibly derogatory connotations, when he accidentally sent out a video of Nick Young’s purportedly confessing to stepping out on his fiancée, Iggy Azalea.

But the original Lakers' snitch was none other than Jackson.

In 2004, Jackson's The Last Season offered a behind-the-scenes look at the 2003-04 Lakers. In it, Jackson, unlike Russell, intentionally violated the inner sanctum of the professional sports locker room.

By example, Jackson shared details of private conversations with now-deceased Lakers owner Jerry Buss, and Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, as well as private moments with Kobe Bryant for the purpose of casting him as an uncoachable jerk, who had to be traded for Jackson to continue coaching the team.

Despite the above behavior, a Google search of "Phil Jackson" and "snitch" returns no results describing him as a disloyal, confidence-breaching rat.

Instead, the second result is an article in which Jackson actually rips the Lakers for drafting a snitch over Kristaps Porzingis.

Additionally, whereas the media called for Russell to be traded, and other NBA players condemned him, claiming they would never play with such a teammate, the entire sports world bristled when the Lakers parted ways with Jackson and eventually declined to bring Jackson back. Talking heads on television and the radio even suggested that Jackson's mere association with a team would have James rushing to sign his name on the dotted line of a long-term deal.

And as if Jackson’s lack of self-awareness isn’t enough, Amazon describes The Last Season as a "rare and phenomenal treat," in which Jackson, "draws on his trademark honesty and insight."

In other words, the white-haired and stoic Caucasian male is characterized as a wise author, while the young and tattooed African-American teenager who made a mistake is branded an immature and unfocused traitor who should be disciplined.

The failure to account for the pass Jackson received that an African-American male did not was evident in Jackson's dealings with referees while he still coached as well.

The media labeled Jackson's criticisms and complaints about how the referees called the games as mind games. Even Jackson himself called his post-game comments "gamesmanship."

Yet what do the fans say about players who gesticulate and voice their own issues regarding calls? "With how overpaid these guys are, why don’t they just shut up, stop whining, and play the game."

So, once again, the Caucasian male is the cunning mastermind getting into others' heads, while the African-American male should just be happy he has a job and keep his concerns to himself.

The lack of a contemporaneous reaction to the above in contrast to the firestorm ignited as soon as posse hit the Internet superhighway is truly a sign of our times.