When should race play a factor in sports? If you have an opinion, when is it all right to express it? If people do not agree with you, are you wrong? If you are wrong, should you apologize?
These are all questions that Rush Limbaugh, a conservative, commentator and controversial fire-starter, has either asked himself this week or will ask himself at some point. For all who don’t know, Limbaugh was forced to resign from ESPN’s Sunday Countdown, a pre-game television show that airs in the homes of millions Americans for a “racial” comment that he made.
Limbaugh’s comment centered on Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. On the show Limbaugh said, “I think what we’ve had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.”
Were his comments were racist? Well, you be the judge. Were the comments inappropriate, stupid and out right wrong?, Well, absolutely.
McNabb is a quarterback, which arguably is the toughest job on the football field. If the team does well he gets the limelight, if the team does poorly or doesn’t perform like the media or fans think they should, the blame falls on one of two people, the coach or the quarterback.
Race should never play a role in sports. People of color and the sports world as a whole are sensitive on the subject of can blacks playing the quarterback position. Black people were told years and years ago, before players such as Warren Moon and Randall Cunningham broke stereotypes that the only position blacks could play were skill positions like running back or wide receiver.
The quarterback position is one of a thinking man, or the leader of the team, a role that was thought only to be capable of being played by whites players such as Joe Namanth or Joe Montana.
Although Limbaugh’s comment were wrong, the question becomes, was it racial or was it just his opinion? Limbaugh, who did not apologize to McNabb, later said, his comments where directed at the media and were not racially motivated. He said he offered an opinion that caused discomfort to his family and crew that which he regrets.
Have you ever heard that saying that, Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me? Well the words that Limbaugh said do hurt; it hurts football and most of all they hurt McNabb.
Being drafted in the first round warrants criticism and McNabb is not any different from any other first round quarterbacks draft pick, except he was thrown into a system in Philadelphia and he has seceded with the burden of having lofty expectations.
Let’s face it, other quarterbacks in McNabb’s position white or black have not done as well as McNabb has, so in my opinion McNabb should be commended on his accomplishments over his entire career, instead of just half a season.
Examples of first round quarterbacks that have not lived up to their potential include, the poster boy of NFL failure Ryan Leaf, Tim Couch, Cade McNown and Rick Mirer to name a few.
In my opinion, not only was Limbaugh’s comment ludicrous, but worse ,it was unwarranted and inaccurate.
Today in the NFL, some of the best quarterbacks in the league are black. These players include Michael Vick, Aaron Brooks and Donavan McNabb to name a few. These players show every Sunday, that they are just as good as players such as Brett Favre, Brad Johnson and Tom Brady that are regarded as the NFL’s best.
Sport is about team, (Together-Everyone-Achieves-More). Limbaugh was not a team player and didn’t understand that McNabb’s team recent problems on the field may have something to do with his lack of a healthy secondary on defense or that fact that he is playing against some pretty good competition. In sports, one man can affect a game but in order to guarantee a win, everyone must give their all. Limbaugh affected the game but in my opinion he had no business playing in the first place.