"I'd like to take just a moment to pay tribute to Micheal Ray Richardson, the former NBA All-Star who passed away on Tuesday. He was as ferocious an on-ball defender as ever was and a powerful driver on offense. In 1986, however, he became the first player banned for life for violating the league's drug policy. But Richardson became famoushell, he became damned near immortalfor a single interview he gave at in the middle of what would become an extremely unsuccessful season."
"But Richardson became famoushell, he became damned near immortalfor a single interview he gave at in the middle of what would become an extremely unsuccessful season. He was asked about the state of his team: What do you think is happening to the team? The ship be sinking, Micheal Ray Richardson replied. How far can it sink? Sky's the limit."
"The ship be sinking has become sportswriter shorthand for whenever something goes irretrievably wrong. I have brought it along into political writing because I think, grammar aside, it is the best capsule summation of a bad situation's getting worse. It never has been far from my mind during this current political era. For that matter, it hasn't been far from my mind this week. The ship be sinking, said Micheal Ray. RIP, baller. And amen."
Micheal Ray Richardson was an NBA All-Star known for ferocious on-ball defense and powerful driving on offense. In 1986 he became the first player banned for life for violating the league's drug policy. A single interview during an extremely unsuccessful season produced a memorable line: when asked about his team's state he replied, "The ship be sinking," adding "How far can it sink? Sky's the limit." The phrase has become sportswriter shorthand for situations that go irretrievably wrong and has migrated into political contexts as a concise capsule of worsening circumstances. The recollection closes with "RIP, baller. And amen."
Read at www.esquire.com
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