NBA
Knicks Forward Marcus Morris Sr. Fundamentally Misunderstands ‘Female Tendencies'
Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sports7 in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sports7, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he's a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie. Growing up loving Shaquille O'Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he's continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives. As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He's barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe's big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level. Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.
Get to know Joe Kozlowski betterUpdated30 Jan 2020
Things aren't going too well for the New York Knicks. James Dolan is arguably the worst owner in sports; due to their inability to land marquee free agents, the club's roster isn't better. The front office is a mess, and, even more importantly, the fans aren't happy. On Wednesday night, though, Marcus Morris Sr. contributed to the mess by making an ignorant comment about “female tendencies.”
It goes without saying that Morris' comments have no place in 2020. The forward proved that he fundamentally understands both how women actually behave and the power of words.
The Knicks and Grizzlies scuffle
From an on-court perspective, the New York Knicks-Memphis Grizzlies game wasn't too interesting. The visiting Grizzlies led by seven at halftime; their advantage grew to 12 after the third quarter, putting them in line for an easy victory.
The remaining time, however, didn't uneventfully tick off the clock. In the dying seconds of the game, Jae Crowder picked up a loose ball; even though his Grizzlies were leading by 18 points, the forward stepped beyond the three-point line to put up a shot. While he missed, the Knicks didn't appreciate the gesture.
After Crowder released the ball, Elfrid Payton shoved him into the stands. Unsurprisingly, a scuffle ensued; Crowder, Payton, and Marcus Morris Sr. were all ejected.
“That shot was disrespectful,” Payton explained. “I'm standing on that. I'd a did it again. Doesn't matter who took that shot. Don't disrespect the game like that.”
Marcus Morris brings gender into the equation
Elfrid Payton wasn't the only New York Knick to explain his actions after the game. Marcus Morris Sr. joined in, apparently eager to put his foot in his mouth.
“[Crowder] plays the game a different way,” the forward told reporters. “He's got a lot of female tendencies on the court, flopping and throwing his head back the entire game. It's a man's game, and you just get tired of it.”
Soon after, though, Morris tried to make amends on Twitter. “I apologize for using the term “female tendencies,” he wrote. “I have the upmost respect for women and everything they mean to us. It was a Heat of the moment response and I never intended for any Women to feel as though in anyway I’m disrespecting them. Again I apologize with my comments.”
Apology or not, Marcus Morris misunderstands “female tendencies”
Whether it was a personal realization or a suggestion from the Knicks public relations department, Marcus Morris did apologize for his ignorant comments. That doesn't change the reality of what he said, though.
The heat of the moment doesn't put words or thoughts into your head. Regardless of his intentions or the circumstances, Morris publically perpetuated the stereotype of women being weak, soft, and unsuited to competing with men. Those are comments that have no place in modern society, let alone being trumpeted by someone with a public microphone.
On the court, basketball players are basketball players, regardless of gender. Plenty of men flop and embellish contact; women in the NCAA or WNBA are perfectly content to embrace the physical side of the game. Everyone plays the game in their own way, not the way that's defined by their gender, race, or any other characteristic.
By speaking about “female tendencies” on Wednesday night, Marcus Morris didn't actually say anything about Jae Crowder or women. Instead, he told us a great deal about himself.
