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response 0 of 13:
| Apr 13 03:39:01 UTC 2002 |
An interview with Jim Brown during a 180 jail sentence on domestic violence
charges, from this week's Sports Illustrated. For reference, a documentary
on Brown by Spike Lee had just been released, featuring interviews with many
people from Brown's past. He spends 23 hours of the day alone, because of
his celebrity status.
SI: What did you think of Spike Lee's documentary?
Brown: I thought it was interesting because I learned some things by
listening to what others had to say about me. Spike's a great filmmaker and
is great at getting people to talk, and I learned a lot from what my kids said
to him.
SI: What did you learn?
Brown: I listened to my kids talk about me as a parent, and I learned about
things they wished I'd done and said. And I wished that I had done more of
those things. They told Spike things they've never told me.
SI: You have made a career of supporting other black athletes when they
needed it, and now a few of them are coming out to support you at a press
conference on April 17. I'm told Bill Russell, George Foreman and others will
be there. But none of the names I've heard are of today's generation of
athletes. Does this disappoint you?
Brown: Sure it does, but it doesn't surprise me. Money has changed today's
black athletes. Those who have the ability as African men to bring a change
in a community that so desperately needs it are concentrating only on their
own careers, some charities and how much money they can make.
SI: Which athletes disappoint you the most?
Brown: The ones that are most popular and most powerful. Michael Jordan
would be one. Charles [Barkley} is talking about issues, but I don't think
Charles is in touch with the community. They're all nice guys, now--don't
misunderstand me. But they have the ears of the general public, they have
the money, and they could call together 100 black athletes and solve so many
problems in these inner cities, it would be unbelievable.
SI: What's different about today's black athlete from those you gathered in
support of Ali in '67?
Brown: They are the beneficiaries of our struggle. But they don't recognize
that because they're inundated with agents, managers, lawyers and owners who
don't want them to do anything but play ball and hopefully keep themselves
out of trouble and just be physical freaks of nature with no [awareness] of
decision-making power.
SI: What current athlete do you admire?
Brown: Compared with Bill Russell?
SI: Sure.
Brown: Nobody.
SI: Compared with a Jim Brown.
Brown: I don't compare myself with anyone. Let me tell you about someone
I do admire. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots has contributed more
to the work I surround myself with than any black athlete in modern
times--financially, intellectually, every way. He's been in the prisons with
me. He's met gang members in my home; he's met gang members in Cleveland
[where Belichick coached the Browns from 1991 to '95]. He's put up money.
He's opened up areas of education for us very quietly and very strongly.
Imagine what would happen if Michael Jordan did the same thing.
Now if you're talking about comparing someone with me on the field, you take
Emmitt Smith of Dallas. I saw him play hurt, and I saw the championship heart
he had. But that was on the field. My life has never been on the field.
It has always been [about what I've done] on multiple levels off it.
SI: What about Tiger?
Brown: Tiger's involved in a mission that his father set for him, and he's
doing a great job of it. As an individual, through his golf, he's
demonstrating some great things. But that's it. He's focused on golf.
SI: But he has that foundation that brings golfing opportunities to
disadvantaged kids...
Brown: Can I tell you something? Everybody does good things, but I'm talking
about making major changes in the educational system that would impact an
entire race. I'm talking about stopping these young gang members from killing
one another. I'm talking about keeping prisons from overflowing. I'm not
talking about teaching black kids to golf and get to country clubs. Come on!
That's wonderful to do, but Tiger makes enough money that he could change many
more things that are important to black kids than learning to golf.
SI: When you say that to young black athletes, how do they react?
Brown: I don't talk to very many of them. I give them their space because
they have a right to do what they want to do in this country. Most of them
already feel they know more than I know. They make more money, and they've
got more power. They're relevant today because they create profits for
owners. That's it. Michael Jordan brings millions of dollars when he shows
up in an arena. Since money is how we judge people, he's very valuable. But
while that's happening, Rome is burning within the black community.
In the '60's, when I called the athletes to come and talk to Ali, they didn't
bring their agents, managers, and lawyers. They came because they thought
it was worthwhile. When we started the Black Economic Union to develop black
businesses, those athletes participated. We athletes were just like normal
citizens in those days, fighting for our rights. We didn't put our sport
before our manhood.
SI: Why do you talk about black athletes, and not others, as potential
leaders in the black community?
Brown: Because in the world's consciousness, who are the most influential
black men in America? Athletes. Look at all those polls and see whose name
is at the top: Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Tiger Woods.
SI: Who is the greatest leader of the black community today?
Brown: C'mon. There's no black leader anymore.
SI: There's no Martin Luther King?
Brown: Martin Luther King was a misguided leader. He worked to be recognized
as the leader of black America when what black America needs isn't a leader,
it is education. Giving speeches and marching, that's not the concept that
brings about real freedom, equality and justice. We need a philosophy that
is adopted in every household that raising our children to be responsible for
their own actions is a must. I don't see the [so-called] leaders of the
Jewish community; I don't see the leaders of the Korean community. Their
strength is in local leaders, household leaders.
SI: You mention the Jewish and Korean communities in America. Neither of
those groups is highly represented in professional sports. Do you think
that's connected to the value they place on education?
Brown: Absolutely. Black kids in this country--because of all the emphasis
that is placed on athletics in their community--believe that is their way out.
It makes education less important. There's no question athletics and the
belief that they're the only ticket [to success} has hurt black America.
SI: That is ironic coming from you since you got your education because of
athletics.
Brown: Yes, but most kids today don't see that. They see the millions [of
dollars], and they don't understand that too great an emphasis in their
community is being put on a dream that will never develop a people. And even
for those few who do make it, they serve at the pleasure of the owners. They
never have control.
SI: What's your opinion of the high school players who are going straight
to the NBA?
Brown: They should leave if they have the ability. They should get the money
and then they should get their education along with their playing. You can
do both. You don't have to wait.
SI: You mentioned that you'd love to see a young athlete call together 100
other young black athletes and try to focus on improving black America. Why
don't you do it?
Brown: Because I don't have the power to do it. To do this right, it would
take a modern athlete at the height of his popularity and power to really pull
people together. When I had the power of being the Number 1 guy, I used that
power to make things happen. If I approached MIchael today, he'd look at me
like I'm an old has-been football player. All I can be anymore is a doer of
good deeds and a builder of bridges.
SI: Given the several charges of ciolence that have been leveled against you
in the past, do you have a problem with women?
Brown: I can definitely get angry, and I have taken that anger out
inappropriately in the past. But I have done so with both men and women.
So do I have a problem with women? No. I have had anger, and I'll probably
continue to have anger. I just have to not strike out at anyone ever again.
I have to be smarter than that, smarter than I was. What I would say is that
with wisdom, I will only use my mentality or my spirit aggressively. I will
never use my hands [that way] again.
SI: Where did you get that wisdom?
Brown: Over recent years, as I've understood what power really is and what
dedication really is. The power is between your ears. The power is in your
heart. It is up to God to take revenge. Only God can judge. I don't have
to worry about getting even with anybody or taking out any kind of aggression
on anybody. Doing that is a weakness anyway.
SI: What is the purpose of your fasting? <transcriber's note: Brown has been
fasting since he entered prison>
Brown: It is not a hunger strike, as some have said. It is a spiritual fast.
Just water. I've lost 22 pounds. It is strictly a mental thing. This
reminds me and the people here that I am still in control of me.
SI: How do you feel about the fact they've put you in administrative
segregation and keep you in your cell 23 hours a day?
Brown: It definitely is exceptional punishment, don't you think? They don't
have a category in jail that says, "[You're a} celebrity, and we're going to
protect you." So they put you in administrative segregation, which takes away
quite a few of your rights but protects [the county] from being liable for
anything because nobody's going to be able to touch you.
SI: Spike Lee said he thinks the jailers realize you are so popular that
inmates might rise up in support of you if you were in the general jail
population.
Brown: I would never attempt to cause an uprising. But I have the ability
to communicate with inmates and gang members. That's what my work has been.
I've taught [rudimentary life skill to] more than 18,000 inmates in California
state prisons. I've been in a room with 400 inmates, basically by myself.
SI: What do you do during the day?
Brown: I've been reading a lot of Scripture, a lot of history, the history
of Navajos, American history and some civil rights history.
SI: Have you ever considered running for political office to make changes?
Brown: First, I"m not sure I"m qualified. But the truth is that politicians
are basically tied to trying to get reelected, so they can't really make
landmark changes. And the changes we need can't be made from the top. They
need to be bottom-up changes that involve fathers and mothers, not
politicians.
SI: Do you ever want to act again?
Brown: Only when it is a great director. An Oliver Stone, Spike Lee or [Tim
Burton}, the guy who did Planet of the Apes. It is always fun when you have
a good director.
SI: What do you think of the NFL today?
Brown: It is great entertainment, but it is entertainment, not sport anymore.
The packaging of it is fantastic. The presentation of it is sometimes greater
than the substance of the game. Their way of building stars and emphasizing
outdated records keeps people interested. But the talent is not too good,
it is too spread out, and it has been watered down.
SI: What in your life do you most regret?
Brown: Not reaching out to my kids more. [According to Monique <transcriber's
note: Monique is Brown's wife, and they are still together, jailtime
notwithstanding>, Brown has six children in addition to Aris.] I've been
getting closer to them in my latter years because I've been economically more
sound and had the time off from my work. So I've gotten a chance to deal with
them, and it is such a pleasure. They're enjoying it and tell me they've
always wanted that. So I just look back and think how much more I should have
done with them.
SI: What are you most proud of?
Brown: I think of my life as a journey, and I'm still on it. But under the
circumstances I'm glad I'm in jail because everyone seems to think the most
important thing to me would be to get out. I say no; I took a position
against a judge who did me wrong, who gave me a sentence that is totally out
of whack. I'm here on principle. I stood up to her and said I would fight
her, and if I lose I will go to jail. I'm serving the time as an honorable
person. I do not give them a problem. I abide by the rules. I do what I'm
supposed to do. This has given me a chance to challenge myself. Hopefully
all good things will come out of it.
From Sports Illustrated, volume 96, No. 16. April 15, 2002
By Don Yaeger, transcribed without permission.
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