This week on Bryant Gumble's HBO show "Real Sports" Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb stated that black quarterbacks are criticized differently by the media and talk shows than their white bretheren. The mostly white media accused McNabb of "whining" because of his 0-2 start to the season despite the fact that the interview was taped during training camp in August.
Once again we don't allow "context" to interfere with a controversial story.
Talk shows and newspapers, mostly manned by whites, almost unanimously said McNabb didn't know what he was talking about. Their defense was the media attacks over the years on Peyton Manning and John Elway to name two.
But, McNabb says there's no categorizing Manning as a "white" quarterback while the subject of colour is constantly brought up when McNabb is being censured.
RFacial times have changed since, fifty years ago, a white Texan named John Griffin changes his skin colour so that he could find first hand the daily hostility and humiliation blacks in American undergo on a daily basis. The result was the best-selling book "Black Like Me".
Most people of colour will tell you that racisims has simply gone underground on this continent. Is McNabb right or wrong? I'm not sure it's wise to make judgement until, like John Griffin, I'm able to walk a mile in his shoes.
[FOR MCNABB'S ANSWER TOTHE RECENT CRITICISM LOG ON TO www.yardbird.com]
Monday, September 24, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
September 15, 2007
The definition of "sportsmanship" has taken a terrible beating this summer.
Whatever happened to moraility and ethics in sports? Barry Bonds breaking Henry Aaron's home run record while loaded with steroids.
Eight NASCAR crews have been suspended this year for cheating in separate incidents.
In Formula-One, McLaren is fined 100 million dollars for receiving stolen technical documents.
The leader of the Tour de France removed from the race for ducking doping tests.
And of course, Bill Belichick.
What is troubling is the absolute lack of remorse on the part of the guilty and the defenses thrown up by fans of their sports.
I grew up with the idea that sports was about the rulebook and sportsmanship. Somewhere in that mix was "gamesmanship". But the line between gamesmanship and cheating has been erased.
there was a time when cheating was a rare occurance. Now it's an everyday part of sporting life.
And sadly, the word "ethical" is becoming an anachronism. In today's society the sin is getting caught. Winning is the only important thing even if the winning comes illegally.
Whatever happened to moraility and ethics in sports? Barry Bonds breaking Henry Aaron's home run record while loaded with steroids.
Eight NASCAR crews have been suspended this year for cheating in separate incidents.
In Formula-One, McLaren is fined 100 million dollars for receiving stolen technical documents.
The leader of the Tour de France removed from the race for ducking doping tests.
And of course, Bill Belichick.
What is troubling is the absolute lack of remorse on the part of the guilty and the defenses thrown up by fans of their sports.
I grew up with the idea that sports was about the rulebook and sportsmanship. Somewhere in that mix was "gamesmanship". But the line between gamesmanship and cheating has been erased.
there was a time when cheating was a rare occurance. Now it's an everyday part of sporting life.
And sadly, the word "ethical" is becoming an anachronism. In today's society the sin is getting caught. Winning is the only important thing even if the winning comes illegally.
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