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Did you guys hear, on the NFL on HBO….Marino was asked why Michael Vick isn’t having more success in the NFL,and in the process he made some contoversial comments about Warren Moon….
Marino said Moon was a good athlete but was also obviously quite bright, then suggested that must mean he had an ancestor who is white.
“Warren doesn’t look like he’s that type that is just an athlete,” Marino said of Moon. “But he is an athlete who can, you know, think too. He is, man. I don’t know if some white relatives down in that line somewhere, I don’t know who saw what or where, his great-great-great-great-grandma ran over in the ’suburbs or something went down.”
Collinsworth tried to suggest to Marino that he shouldn’t go there, but Marino was having none of it, continuing:
“If great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandpa pulled one of them young black girls 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.”
I don’t particularly enjoy watching Marino on HBO, but I also don’t think he’s as bad a guy as he’s often made out to be….
Having said all that, I’m completely full of shit. I’m actually referencing Michael Irvin’s recent comments of Tony Romo.
Given that racially insensitive remarks usually create a media feeding frenzy, doesn’t that strike you as strange?
Okay, folks. We’re officially confused about this whole racism thing.
We get the part that calls for white guys to be severely punished and/or fired if they make bigoted, ignorant statements. Al Campanis, Rush Limbaugh, Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder.
And the latest chapter in this history of racial prejudice comes courtesy of Michael Richards, whom most people know not as “Michael Richards” but as Cosmo Kramer, the hilarious hipster doofis who lived across the hall from Jerry Seinfeld.
Each made unfortunate statements, and each paid the price.
The best example for present purposes is Snyder, who once quipped (while possibly half in the bag) that blacks are better at sports than whites due to the selective breeding practices of slave owners.
In each case, we agree with the outcry that ensued, although we still think Limbaugh’s punishment resulted more from his right-wing beliefs than from the actual content of his comments.
But what of the African-American public figure who makes comments just as idiotic, and arguably as blatantly racist? Why is a pass granted in this regard?
The most recent incident? ESPN’s Michael Irvin. Appearing Monday on ESPN Radio’s The Dan Patrick Show, Irvin pulled a Jimmy “The Greek” when suggesting that one possible explanation for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo’s strong performance is that one of his ancestors got it on with one of those big man slaves to which Snyder referred nearly 20 years ago.
Said Irvin of Romo: “He doesn’t look like he’s that type of an athlete. But he is. He is, man. I don’t know . . . 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.”
Recognizing the idiocy of Irvin’s comments, Dan Patrick said, “Oh, that’s the only way he can be a great athlete?”
“That’s not the only way, but it’s certainly one way,” Irvin said. “If great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandma pulled one of them studs up out of the barn [and said], ‘Come on in here for a second,’ you know, and they go out and work in the yard. You know, back in the day.”
Irvin likely would claim that he was joking, if the standard that has been applied to white men who have made similar comments were also applied to the Playmaker. He was, after all, laughing through some of his comments.
But does that make the comments any less ignorant, or any less racist? Irvin basically is saying that, when a white man is a great athlete, there must be something out of the ordinary occurring, because the average white man simply can’t do the same things that the average black man can.
Can someone please explain to us why Irvin hasn’t been fired or suspended or even called out for his comments?
In doing so, please tell us what you think would have happened if Steve Young or Chris Berman or Dan Patrick or any other white guy working for ESPN had uttered the exact same words.
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