Let me preface this with just some simple facts about myself. I don’t pretend to be a social critic, nor do I posses (or maybe “care to” is a better word) an analytical political mindset. I don’t have any hang-ups or racial predispositions…im just a simple guy who likes to bet on sports. I do however have come to understand (for better or worse) we as a whole are nothing more then a society filled with utter hypocrisy, unrealistic expectations and constant generalizations. These comments made by Michael Irvin the other day on Dan Patrick’s show to be quite honest, didn’t bother me a bit. For those of you who aren’t aware of what he said here is the quote:
"He doesn't look like he's that type of an athlete," Irvin said of Romo. "But he is. He is, man. I don't know if some brother down in that line somewhere, I don't know who saw what or where, his great-great-great-great-grandma ran over in the 'hood or something went down." "If great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandma pulled one of them studs up out of the barn, 'Come on in here for a second,' you know, and they go out and work in the yard. You know, back in the day."
Compare that to the infamous Jimmy the Greek comments in witch he was fired for in 1988: “During the slave period, the slave owner would breed his big black with his big woman so that he would have a big black kid—that's where it all started.” Isn’t that along the same lines in witch Irvin was crossing? Suggesting that in order for a white QB to have mobility he must have African American blood somewhere down the line.
Irvins comments were not really that funny, I mean I don’t think its mean or insensitive either, its just not that funny…but that was Irivin’s intent, it wasn’t necessarily a jab at whites in my opinion. This was an “off the cuff” comment from a guy (who if you watch him week to week) you have to cringe for when he opens his mouth; because half the time you know something’s going to fall out of that mouth of his, that is going to be incredibly stupid. With that being said, Irvin will probably get a pass, for no other reason then he is a minority. Do I think he should be fired for his comments? Absolutely not. This day and age everyone is uptight about race and to me talking about it shouldn’t be considered taboo.
If you flip the script here it becomes very clear, that there is a clear-cut double standard. Just imagine if someone like…Steve Young were to say next year about Troy Smith - something like: “ Man, I don’t know about Troy Smith…he just doesn’t seem like a typical running QB, I mean he don’t. I don’t know if his great great great great great grandmother was working for Tomas Jefferson or something, maybe they, you know had relations… I don’t know.” Obviously he would be touting the old myth of the 60’s that the reason white quarterbacks are successful and can remember all the plays is because they are smarter and have a history of higher education as a race... he would find himself fired.
What bothers me about this situation is the double standard we as a society and especially those in the sports have come to accept as the norm. This case with Irvin isn’t a big deal but if you compare what Rush Limbaugh had been fired for saying; it makes you wonder how Irvin wasn’t fired? I’m not a republican and I have no opinion on Rush whatsoever, but what he said really wasn’t racist at all. What he said was what he felt was how the media handled McNabb, and it was nothing as near as blunt as Irvin’s comments. Here is what the transcript of the show in witch Rush was fired for. Notice how the others didn’t even really take any offense to it. Not one of them said that was out of line. Tom Jackson was more or less later that week almost forced to condemn Rush Limbaugh, in a very eerie ESPN push to “separate itself from Rush”.
RUSH: Tommy, I've listened to all of you guys, actually, and I think the sum total of what you're all saying is that Donovan McNabb is regressing, he's going backwards. I'm sorry to say this; I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. We're interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he really didn't deserve.
Jackson: Rush...
RUSH: The defense carried this team.
Jackson: Rush, somebody went to those championship games.
RUSH: Oh, they went.
Jackson: Somebody went to those pro bowls. Somebody made those plays that I saw running down the field, doing it with his legs, doing it with his arms. He has been a very effective quarterback for this football team over the last two or three years.
RUSH: Yeah, but you take the…
Jackson: The difference in what we see right now, and they didn't have any more talent then that they have now.
RUSH: Oh yes they had, on defense, on defense they did.
Jackson: On defense they did. I'm talking about the offensive side of the ball.
RUSH: Well, that's what I'm saying; I think he got a lot of credit for the defensive side of the ball winning games for this team.
Young: But I'll tell you what, I'll say it even more strongly, Tom, when they're winning, nobody makes more plays.
Jackson: Than Donovan McNabb.
Young: ...with his arm than Donovan McNabb. That guy is really one of the best in the league at making plays. But, making plays does not win championships. Running the offense does. So at some point I think…
Berman: Got to run the offense.
Young: Koy Detmer looks like a better, he'll go in there, drop back…
Berman: Isn't it odd that last year, with the broken leg, I know it was Arizona, but the one game he was in a pile, he looked great.
Young: He had to run that offense.
Jackson: So, Rush, once you make that investment, though, once you make that investment in him, that's a done deal.
RUSH: I'm saying it's a good investment, don't misunderstand.
Irvin: Rush has a point.
RUSH: I just don't think he is as good as everybody says he has been.
Irvin: Rush has a point.
This was the response from ESPN and Rush about the subject: "My comments this past Sunday were directed at the media and were not racially motivated," Limbaugh said in a statement issued late Wednesday night. "I offered an opinion. This opinion has caused discomfort to the crew, which I regret. The National Association of Black Journalists also called for ESPN to "separate itself" from Limbaugh. "ESPN's credibility as a journalism entity is at stake," NABJ president Herbert Lowe said in a news release. "It needs to send a clear signal that the subjects of race and equal opportunity are taken seriously at its news outlets." George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports, issued the following response: "We accept his resignation and regret the circumstances surrounding this. We believe that he took the appropriate action to resolve this matter expeditiously."
So if Bodenheimer believed this was the course of action best suited for this scenario, then why isn’t the same resignation being asked of Irvin? And also where was the NABJ when Irvin made his comments?? After all isnt he a Journalist?? Notice Irvin agreed with Rush. Irvin may say stupid things but he also speaks from his heart right or wrong, without a sense of being politically correct. Sure that can be offensive, but as the same time you have to have some admiration for at least his honesty. Its not Mike Irvins fault, he didn’t make these guidelines; we as a whole have done this. Of all arenas sports should be something where we can escape from the drivel and day to day grind of everyday life, but sports has become the fabric of America – it has no boundaries. So naturally society and sports go hand in hand…as does equality. However, we as a society will never be able to achieve equality if we all aren’t held equally accountable for our words and actions.
"He doesn't look like he's that type of an athlete," Irvin said of Romo. "But he is. He is, man. I don't know if some brother down in that line somewhere, I don't know who saw what or where, his great-great-great-great-grandma ran over in the 'hood or something went down." "If great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandma pulled one of them studs up out of the barn, 'Come on in here for a second,' you know, and they go out and work in the yard. You know, back in the day."
Compare that to the infamous Jimmy the Greek comments in witch he was fired for in 1988: “During the slave period, the slave owner would breed his big black with his big woman so that he would have a big black kid—that's where it all started.” Isn’t that along the same lines in witch Irvin was crossing? Suggesting that in order for a white QB to have mobility he must have African American blood somewhere down the line.
Irvins comments were not really that funny, I mean I don’t think its mean or insensitive either, its just not that funny…but that was Irivin’s intent, it wasn’t necessarily a jab at whites in my opinion. This was an “off the cuff” comment from a guy (who if you watch him week to week) you have to cringe for when he opens his mouth; because half the time you know something’s going to fall out of that mouth of his, that is going to be incredibly stupid. With that being said, Irvin will probably get a pass, for no other reason then he is a minority. Do I think he should be fired for his comments? Absolutely not. This day and age everyone is uptight about race and to me talking about it shouldn’t be considered taboo.
If you flip the script here it becomes very clear, that there is a clear-cut double standard. Just imagine if someone like…Steve Young were to say next year about Troy Smith - something like: “ Man, I don’t know about Troy Smith…he just doesn’t seem like a typical running QB, I mean he don’t. I don’t know if his great great great great great grandmother was working for Tomas Jefferson or something, maybe they, you know had relations… I don’t know.” Obviously he would be touting the old myth of the 60’s that the reason white quarterbacks are successful and can remember all the plays is because they are smarter and have a history of higher education as a race... he would find himself fired.
What bothers me about this situation is the double standard we as a society and especially those in the sports have come to accept as the norm. This case with Irvin isn’t a big deal but if you compare what Rush Limbaugh had been fired for saying; it makes you wonder how Irvin wasn’t fired? I’m not a republican and I have no opinion on Rush whatsoever, but what he said really wasn’t racist at all. What he said was what he felt was how the media handled McNabb, and it was nothing as near as blunt as Irvin’s comments. Here is what the transcript of the show in witch Rush was fired for. Notice how the others didn’t even really take any offense to it. Not one of them said that was out of line. Tom Jackson was more or less later that week almost forced to condemn Rush Limbaugh, in a very eerie ESPN push to “separate itself from Rush”.
RUSH: Tommy, I've listened to all of you guys, actually, and I think the sum total of what you're all saying is that Donovan McNabb is regressing, he's going backwards. I'm sorry to say this; I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. We're interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he really didn't deserve.
Jackson: Rush...
RUSH: The defense carried this team.
Jackson: Rush, somebody went to those championship games.
RUSH: Oh, they went.
Jackson: Somebody went to those pro bowls. Somebody made those plays that I saw running down the field, doing it with his legs, doing it with his arms. He has been a very effective quarterback for this football team over the last two or three years.
RUSH: Yeah, but you take the…
Jackson: The difference in what we see right now, and they didn't have any more talent then that they have now.
RUSH: Oh yes they had, on defense, on defense they did.
Jackson: On defense they did. I'm talking about the offensive side of the ball.
RUSH: Well, that's what I'm saying; I think he got a lot of credit for the defensive side of the ball winning games for this team.
Young: But I'll tell you what, I'll say it even more strongly, Tom, when they're winning, nobody makes more plays.
Jackson: Than Donovan McNabb.
Young: ...with his arm than Donovan McNabb. That guy is really one of the best in the league at making plays. But, making plays does not win championships. Running the offense does. So at some point I think…
Berman: Got to run the offense.
Young: Koy Detmer looks like a better, he'll go in there, drop back…
Berman: Isn't it odd that last year, with the broken leg, I know it was Arizona, but the one game he was in a pile, he looked great.
Young: He had to run that offense.
Jackson: So, Rush, once you make that investment, though, once you make that investment in him, that's a done deal.
RUSH: I'm saying it's a good investment, don't misunderstand.
Irvin: Rush has a point.
RUSH: I just don't think he is as good as everybody says he has been.
Irvin: Rush has a point.
This was the response from ESPN and Rush about the subject: "My comments this past Sunday were directed at the media and were not racially motivated," Limbaugh said in a statement issued late Wednesday night. "I offered an opinion. This opinion has caused discomfort to the crew, which I regret. The National Association of Black Journalists also called for ESPN to "separate itself" from Limbaugh. "ESPN's credibility as a journalism entity is at stake," NABJ president Herbert Lowe said in a news release. "It needs to send a clear signal that the subjects of race and equal opportunity are taken seriously at its news outlets." George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports, issued the following response: "We accept his resignation and regret the circumstances surrounding this. We believe that he took the appropriate action to resolve this matter expeditiously."
So if Bodenheimer believed this was the course of action best suited for this scenario, then why isn’t the same resignation being asked of Irvin? And also where was the NABJ when Irvin made his comments?? After all isnt he a Journalist?? Notice Irvin agreed with Rush. Irvin may say stupid things but he also speaks from his heart right or wrong, without a sense of being politically correct. Sure that can be offensive, but as the same time you have to have some admiration for at least his honesty. Its not Mike Irvins fault, he didn’t make these guidelines; we as a whole have done this. Of all arenas sports should be something where we can escape from the drivel and day to day grind of everyday life, but sports has become the fabric of America – it has no boundaries. So naturally society and sports go hand in hand…as does equality. However, we as a society will never be able to achieve equality if we all aren’t held equally accountable for our words and actions.
