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To: SkyPilot

To me, he writes like he’s an angry Muslim.

He was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended Power Memorial Academy, a Catholic high school in Manhattan. In the summer of 1968, while attending UCLA, he took the Shahada twice and converted to Sunni Islam.

Here, from Wikipedia...

Abdul-Jabbar had been interested in coaching since his retirement, and given the influence he had on the league, he thought that the opportunity would present itself. However, during his playing years, Abdul-Jabbar had developed a reputation of being introverted and sullen. He did not speak to the press, leading to the impression that he disliked them.

In his biography My Life, Magic Johnson recalls instances when Abdul-Jabbar brushed him off when Magic (as a ball boy) asked for his autograph, Abdul-Jabbar froze out reporters who gave him a too enthusiastic handshake or even hugged him, and refused to stop reading the newspaper while giving an interview.

Many basketball observers, in addition to Abdul-Jabbar, believe that Kareem’s reticence, whether through disdain for the press corps or simply because of introversion, contributed to the dearth of coaching opportunities offered to Abdul-Jabbar by the NBA. In his words, he said he had a mindset he could not overcome, and proceeded through his career oblivious to the effect his reticence may have had on his coaching prospects in the future.

Abdul-Jabbar said: “I didn’t understand that I also had affected people that way and that’s what it was all about. I always saw it like they were trying to pry. I was way too suspicious and I paid a price for it.”

KAJ — seems to me, in this article, you are that same “disdain” and not just for the press corps. Seems like he still has that mindset he can’t overcome.

One of the richest persons in the world — EVER...


43 posted on 08/17/2014 5:37:31 PM PDT by detch
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To: detch

>>One of the richest persons in the world — EVER...<<

Not by a long shot!

Named as NBA’s all time leading scorer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired professional basketball player with an estimated net worth of $20 million as of 2o12.


186 posted on 08/18/2014 8:58:05 PM PDT by B4Ranch (Name your illness, do a Google & YouTube search with "hydrogen peroxide". Do it and be surprised.)
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