Haven’t we crossed this bridge already? Haven’t we passed over from raw ignorance and racial typecasting into a sophisticated understanding of individual talent? Haven’t we answered the questions about Donovan McNabb’s effectiveness, and about black quarterbacks’ abilities? Haven’t we erased the myth of non-athleticism in white quarterbacks? Apparently, and sadly, we may not have done any of the above.
The president of the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP recently wrote a column criticizing Donovan McNabb for not running, and for poor team leadership. He basically said that McNabb’s play, and leadership regarding his teammates contract disputes, relegates him to being the black, athletic equivalent of Benedict Arnold.
For the sake of brevity, I won’t even address the absurdity of Donovan McNabb offering to give up some of his salary so that Terrell Owens could get a raise, and Brian Westbrook could get a long term deal. It’s not as if McNabb’s salary was what prevented Owens or Westbrook from getting new deals. The Eagles ownership, who are consistently under the NFL’s salary cap, have a stated policy against renegotiations, and are purposely frugal on contracts to players they deem replaceable.
However, in the criticism of McNabb’s play, the ugly head of racial typecasting once again reared. McNabb was criticized for a `breach of faith’ because, lately, he hasn’t been running the ball as much as he did earlier in his career. The implication is that black quarterbacks are supposed to be runners and runners only. The view also implies that pocket passing is the sole domain of white quarterbacks.
Now, I don’t like to deal with the emotions of an argument, I like to deal with the facts. I don’t like to use conjecture, I like to use convincing evidence. The only way to combat ignorance is with knowledge. So, here’s a little knowledge about quarterbacking and race.
First, I have a question or two. What quarterback holds the record for most rushing touchdowns in a career? If you said anyone other than Steve Young, you’re wrong. Who has the second most rushing yards of any quarterback in NFL history? If you said anyone other than Steve Young, you’re wrong.
How about a multiple choice question? Which of these quarterbacks is NOT in the all time top 5 for attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns: John Elway, Brett Favre, Warren Moon, or Joe Montana? If you said Warren Moon, you’re wrong (Montana).
Wait, something’s awry here. Steve Young, a white quarterback, was one of the games greatest runners, and Warren Moon, a black quarterback, was one of the games greatest passers? That can’t be. Everybody knows that white quarterbacks are not athletic, and black quarterbacks are solely athletic. Everybody knows that white quarterbacks are genetically designed to be pocket passers, and black quarterbacks are genetically designed to run first, and pass only when they can’t find a lane to run. Right?
Hold on, maybe everyone doesn’t know that, though. Doug Williams didn’t know it when he became a Super Bowl MVP while playing on a leg he could barely walk on (let alone run). I guess Byron Leftwich doesn’t know it either, considering he averages a whopping 8 yards PER GAME rushing.
I guess John Elway and Joe Montana didn’t know it either. Both quarterbacks made the biggest play of their careers with their legs. Elway’s third down dive past the first down marker kept the game winning drive alive in his first Super Bowl win, a game in which he threw the ball horribly, by the way. Passing was Joe Montana’s forte, but he created a legend and began a dynasty when he scrambled away from Ed “Too Tall” Jones and bought some time until his receiver came open in the end zone for a touchdown that would propel his team into the Super Bowl.
However, if racist suppositions are correct, then Montana is a mirage, Leftwich is left back in college, Moon is phased out, and Young is over the hill. You get the point. White quarterbacks hold the patent on pocket passing as much as black quarterbacks hold the patent on athleticism. Effective quarterbacking has never had anything to do with race. Racist suppositions denied black quarterbacks opportunities before, and now they sadly continue to be an albatross around their necks.
Criticism of McNabb should never be that he’s not playing `black’ enough. The question is effectiveness. Whether a quarterback runs frequently or sits in the pocket, is he effective in leading his team’s offense? The critic said McNabb is `not good’, `mediocre’, at best. For the record, Donovan McNabb is a 5 time pro bowl player who boasts the second best touchdown to interception ratio in NFL history. McNabb can lead his offense with his arm and his legs. There’s nothing wrong with that, is it?
6 replies on “Quarterbacking and Race”
Well said.. Very good article.
The Real Criticism Your column is fine but in honesty the key to the whole criticism is “The president of the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP recently wrote a column criticizing.”
It is true that we have all “crossed” that bridge before and we have all heard the comparisons but many of those were from the “white” media. But when someone of the African American background begins to rip someone of their own ethnicity, that’s a problem.
African Americans have fought long and hard to be excepted in all areas of society, and being a quarterback is one of those areas. Back in the not-so-late day, there were NO black quarterbacks in the league. Now, we have about seven and a few others that are on rosters. African Americans need to rejoice that we are getting the opportunity to play the position once held down by strictly “white” players.
That’s the real issue facing this particular stab at McNabb. Not that he isn’t running, but that someone of his own kind is criticial of it.
Thanks, Thank you, UMTerps, and thank you DaKid.
DaKid, I don’t think that blacks are exempt from criticism from other blacks. It is the motivation and validity of the criticism that’s at the crux of the matter.
There’s nothing wrong with criticism, but when its genesis lies in false racist suppositions, then the racist suppositions must be exposed. One cannot call it racism due to the same race/ethnicity aspect, but one can call out the racist implications in what’s being criticized.
Ideas and concepts have racist implications, but are not always promoted by a ‘racist’.
In A Perfect World I agree, color does not dictate skills, but it does dictate perception. McNabb, as is the case with Vick, is battling this perception issue. As long as they make comments on the positives and negatives of pocket passing and scrambling, they will continue to battle others’ perception. In a perfect world everyone would play their game and let history be the judge. That is what Otto Graham did. I guess that was before color, before perception.
False Criticism No where did I say that blacks are exempt from criticism from other blacks. Heck, I’m guilty of that charge too because I criticize Vick when he doesn’t run because it is proven that when he does, Atlanta wins(I’m a Falcons fan ok).
But I’m saying what the heck is going on?
To me, it seems like this NAACP leader is downing the black quarterback’s worth by implying that McNabb needs to run. To me, that is like telling me that I shouldn’t be writing this statement
because I’m black.
That doesn’t comprehend.
That statement is racially motivated, like when Rush made his comments on ESPN, but worse. This hurts even worse because the statement was made by a leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples. The same organization who at it’s basis is to up bring the African American people.
It is a stab in the back to not only McNabb but myself as well. Are these the leaders we have? Someone we thought we could lean on in trial times doesn’t even believe in his own people?
good article first one on here i’ve enjoyed