Bleacher Report is singing a slightly different tune Thursday after the sports blog called remarks Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban made admitting his prejudices, “pretty racist.”
The blog, which first appeared on the Los Angeles Times website Wednesday, changed the headline and elements of its story on Cuban’s interview with Inc. to “better represent the scope of Mark Cuban‘s remarks,” according to an editor’s note on the story.
“If I see a black kid in a hoodie and it’s late at night, I’m walking to the other side of the street,” Cuban said in the interview for Inc.’s Growco conference. “And if on that side of the street, there’s a guy that has tattoos all over his face — white guy, bald head, tattoos everywhere — I’m walking back to the other side of the street.”
Writer Jim Cavan had initially called those comments “pretty racist” in his column for Bleacher Report. Cuban demanded an apology on Twitter, saying Cavan took the comments out of context.
. @JPCavan did u bother to listen to the entire interview yet ? Or are you still just tipping your hat ?
– Mark Cuban (@mcuban) May 22, 2014
. @JPCavan You owe me an apology for calling me a racist. I have my failings and I mentioned those in the interview. But a racist I am not
– Mark Cuban (@mcuban) May 22, 2014
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“While we all have our prejudices and bigotries, we have to learn that it’s an issue that we have to control,” Cuban went on to say in the interview.
Many on social media came to the “Shark Tank” star’s defense, acknowledging that they too have prejudices and supporting Cuban’s greater message of overcoming those biases.
Mark Cuban tries to talk openly about ingrained bigotry. Bleacher Report says it sounds “pretty racist.” This is why people hate the media.
— Eric Celeste (@EricCeleste) May 22, 2014
Not only is Mark Cuban crossing that street but I’m following right behind him! Especially where I’m from #DontActLikeYouHaventDoneIt
– Charles James (@ShutDownCB1) May 22, 2014
I completely agree with what Mark Cuban said. I lock my doors when I see white folks with trench coats on in the summer. Not racist but wise
– Pastor Dave (@DWProject2011) May 22, 2014
Yall gonna kill Cuban but…if you see a dude in a hoodie IN THE SUMMER… You bout to get robbed. Just know. Ain’t nothing racist bout that
— Academik Peso (@AcademikPeso) May 22, 2014
What Donald Sterling did was racist. What Mark Cuban did was acknowledge that everyone has prejudices of some kind. Put down the pitchforks.
– West Lee (@NotthatAdamWest) May 22, 2014
Media freak out over Cuban’s comments is absurd. Sterling: delusional, private, racist ramblings. Cuban: public honesty. Openness is good.
— Matt Spiegel (@MattSpiegel670) May 22, 2014
Mark Cuban said nothing racist. It’s this kind of sideshow that distracts from real racism
— Marcus Thompson (@ThompsonScribe) May 22, 2014
Nuff respect to @mcuban for saying what he said. Anybody that would compare a proven racist like #DonaldSterling and Cuban is off the “Mark”
— Ric’key Pageot (@RickeyPageot) May 22, 2014
Still, there were those who agreed with Bleacher Report’s “racist” characterization and likened Cuban’s comments to those of disgraced L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Mark Cuban‘s odds of being the next NBA owner after Sterling to say something vaguely racist were 1:1.
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) May 22, 2014
All of the Black guys on the Mavericks should quit and say, “Mark Cuban, you’re a racist. And for that reason, I’m out.”
— Bryan Yang (@bryanyang) May 22, 2014
Mark Cuban‘s comparison of a regular black kid to a skin head is offensive and extremely racist! @Espngreeny @criscarter80 @MikeAndMike
— Jovan Harris (@renny_daddy) May 22, 2014