A call out for a Nike boycott. Why such harsh words from TFoul? Well lets flash back to the controversy that erupted at the LeBron James Skills Academy on Monday, when two videographers were recording a pickup game in which Jordan Crawford dunked on James. Then according to Gary Parrish from CBSSports.com, a Nike representative confiscated the tapes of the dunk after conferring with King James. “Nike has been operating basketball camps for the benefit of young athletes for decades and has long-standing policies as to what events are open and closed to media coverage. Unfortunately, two journalists did not respect our no videotaping policy at an after-hours pickup game following the LeBron James Skills Academy,” said Nike spokesman Derek Kent.
Ryan Miller, videotaped the dunk and then had his tape confiscated, “Nike Basketball senior director Lynn Merritt just said, ‘We have to take your tape,” Miller said. “They took it from other guys, too.” Miller, who is a freelancer, said he had been shooting video all day and had his tapes confiscated only after Crawford’s dunk over James. ”LeBron called Lynn over and told him something,” Miller told CBSSports.com. “That’s how I knew his name was Lynn. LeBron said, ‘Hey, Lynn. Come here.’ “ Minutes later, Miller said Merritt demanded his tape. “There’s nothing I can think of besides LeBron just not wanting it online,” Miller told CBSSports.com. “It’s a good story to tell people, I guess. But then again, I’m kind of pissed. I lost my tape.”
As for Jordan Crawford, he claims his dunk happened in the first 20 minutes of the game and didn’t prompt any reaction from James, “We just went on playing,” Crawford said. In an interview on “ESPN First Take” on Thursday, Crawford said he didn’t realize the magnitude of his feat until he noticed the reaction of other players at the camp.
LeBron and Nike has turned this into big PR. Good or bad it has people talking about Nike, which brings me back to the Boycott of Nike. We must demand to “See The Dunk” until then basketball fans across the nation will boycott all Nike products. Pass the word around on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else and let Nike see were not going to let them hide that tape. Should Nike release the tape? Leave your comments and tell TFoul what you think, and for more on the man behind the Dunk, check out Crawford’s Legend Illuminates.
