The outrage, counter-outrage and confected counter-outrage on social media after a four-year-old picture when Welch went full face paint – dressed like NBA shooting genius Steph Curry – was fascinating, sad and infuriating all at once. 

For a start, it doesn’t matter if the photo is four years old and posted on Facebook two years ago. 

It really, really doesn’t.

Secondly, the motivation for this picture surfacing now is secondary. 

Welch has never endeared himself to the fans, players or media, but if the Hawks win a championship while he’s in charge, who cares?

And thirdly, this columnist doesn’t believe Welch had any intention to offend anyone, let alone be racist about it in any way, shape or form. 

As a 34-year-old, relatively middle-class journalist of mostly Anglo background, a ‘blackface’ photo doesn’t necessarily offend me personally, if you accept the intentions were innocent. 

But what matters is whether the NBL stars, who make this sport so great in Australia, are offended or insulted. Anyone wearing blackface stands on a cultural stage, with a backdrop of racial slurs, oppression and prejudice, dating back to the 19th century when white performers would carry out racist African American stereotypes. Online comment shows the depth of angst Australians have about issues of race, even if it’s not the political tinderbox you see in the US. 

Seven years ago, American singer Harry Connick Jr scribbled a zero on a blue piece of cardboard, when scoring a ‘blackface’ Jackson Five parody on the iconic Hey, Hey It’s Saturday reunion Red Faces segment. 

Two decades earlier the routine won the show’s top prize. 

This time Connick Jr pointed out the racial significance of it live on national television, in a way which could not be lost in translation. In 2008, Jason Ryles went as Wendell Sailor, posing with the real Wendell Sailor for Mad Monday photos, with Wendell Sailor’s consent. 

There are other examples, including an unnamed Wollongong Wolves player dressing as Wendell Sailor during end-of-season drinks in 2013 and an unnamed Illawarra hockey player doing similar. Liz Cambage criticised Opals teammate Alice Kunek for her take on Kanye West. AFL star Nic Naitanui handled a young fan dressing as him with kindness and tolerance. 

Some argue Australian culture is not as deeply divided, though many indigenous Australians believe otherwise. The lines between Australia and the US cross when the NBL holds African American imports in such high regard, because they are of an NBA standard – in the case of a player like James Ennis – or on their first venture outside their homeland chasing their dreams, like Marvelle Harris and Michael Holyfield. 

Eric Cooks, a beloved figure in Illawarra basketball who has made a life with the Hawks for the past 20 years and whose son Xavier is now in the US College system, embodies the cultural cross-over.  Quickly realising the sensitivities, the Hawks held talks on Thursday, before flying out to play Brisbane on Saturday, to ensure this ‘blackface’ controversy would not derail their season. 

Taking the naivety of Welch’s actions before he moved from Perth to Wollongong, they move on, the tension between head office and the players simmering down. 

Thankfully the Hawks have senior talent like Rhys Martin and Oscar Forman, as well as the coaching ability of Rob Beveridge, to put the focus back on winning games of basketball. 

If we can spend so much time enjoying NBL and NBA talent like Steph Curry, we can respect why ‘blackface’ is so offensive as well.