McNabb says black QBs criticized more

Here is what Limbaugh said. It wasn't even that bad.

"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,'' Limbaugh said. "There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."

ESPN.com: GEN - Limbaugh resigns from ESPN (http://espn.go.com/gen/news/2003/1001/1628537.html)

I don't agree with McNabb and I'm black. He gets a lot of media kissing his butt. The bottom line is he is not as good as Manning, Palmer and Brady. But when he is healthy, he is in the next tier.

As a QB he lead is team to 4 consecutive NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl, that is top tier QB.

Still, I can't understand why he thinks he is criticized more because he is black...it's the god damn NFL. You will be trounced in the media if you don't perform (i.e. Eli, Chad Pen.). What an idiot. His days are numbered.

Judge by merits, not skin color. Most people who preach "Unity" and "Diversity" are the people keeping race in front of everyone and are actually causing more of a separation and racial divide. I believe MOST people think about results more than race when it comes to sports, employment, anything else. But, when you are forced to look at skin colors to fulfill some artificial quota, it brings race to the forefront in your mind and in your daily life when it probably would've been overlooked before.

You'd actually be wrong in the sense that it's been proven pretty clearly that while most people *believe* they don't see race, age, sex when they look at someone, the fact is that there are all kinds of inherent and built-up unconscious biases that distort that stated desire to be objective.

There are online tests you can take which reveal this, and I must warn you that it's somewhat uncomfortable to realize you are not nearly as unbiased as you'd like to think you are. The important thing to realize is that the mechanisms that create these biases are in most cases not something a person has consciously chosen. They have to do with media, cultural biases, pressure to fit within perceived societal norms, etc.

If you all are interested in links, I can dig some up. I recommend the book "Blink" if you're really curious, it's a great read.

The takeaway for me in all of this is that Donovan is probably correct to a certain degree that there are biases that affect a typical NFL fan's mind with regards to a black quarterback. However, he doesn't address the fact that those same biases might affect a typical NFL fan's mind with regards to a white running back or (as others here have pointed out) a speedy white receiver (White Lightning, as it were).

And, realistically the problem with him bringing this up is that he's doing so from a position of weakness in a city known for eating its young and beloved if they falter. Had he made these comments right after winning the NFC championship or Super Bowl, or in another context, they might not seem like cop-outs.

I think the paraphrasing quote from Doug Williams was the best thing in this thread. While everyone has biases, and sometimes those biases affect views and decisions, most folks don't consciously choose to consider a player's race until it's shoved in their face.

Choosing to allow yourself to be defined by the color of your skin can only limit you in what you can accomplish and how you're perceived. Ever notice how nobody really focuses on the fact Tiger Woods' ethnicity anymore, despite the fact that golf is basically an old white man's game? It's because he refuses to allow that to define him.

what was it that Rush Limbaugh said that got him fired? I know it was about McNabb, but isn't what McNabb is saying convenient or OK for him, but somehow got Limbaugh fired. I dont recall what RL said, but maybe someone here can remember.

He didn't say anything about McNabb. He was talking about the media and their propping up of certain individuals LIKE McNabb even when they're not statistically because they want to a black QB to succeed.

THEN, the media jumped on him and caused him a racist to get him fired because he criticized them.

Even if you don't like him, you have to admit he's right. Look at baseball with the constant Latino celebrations. Take the HR derby a few years ago, they chose Latino hitters only from different Latin American countries instead of taking the best hitters who would put on the best show.

Pro sports and the media (especially ESPN) always make race into stories to promote certain athletes.

As a QB he lead is team to 4 consecutive NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl, that is top tier QB.


No, he WAS a top-tier QB. He's not anymore and if the team needs to make a move, they should.

I agree if McNabb doesn't shape up in the next couple weeks I think they should try there hand at their rookie QB Kolb.

Pro sports and the media (especially ESPN) always make race into stories to promote certain athletes.

I know it's cool to bash ESPN, but you really have no basis for what you just said there. ESPN doesn't make race into stories. That's not even debatable.

No, he WAS a top-tier QB. He's not anymore and if the team needs to make a move, they should.

Philly would be stupid to make a move on a top tier guy when he is healthy. He should get next year and they need to get the guy some help at wr. Kolb is going to have to wait a few years.

He didn't say anything about McNabb. He was talking about the media and their propping up of certain individuals LIKE McNabb even when they're not statistically because they want to a black QB to succeed.

THEN, the media jumped on him and caused him a racist to get him fired because he criticized them.

Even if you don't like him, you have to admit he's right. Look at baseball with the constant Latino celebrations. Take the HR derby a few years ago, they chose Latino hitters only from different Latin American countries instead of taking the best hitters who would put on the best show.

Pro sports and the media (especially ESPN) always make race into stories to promote certain athletes.

But Rush' comments were wrong. He basically said that McNabb was overrated and the defense carried the team. That is just a ridicules statement. He got his team to 3 or 4 straight NFC Champ. games and a SB??? With average to below WR's ??? C'mon! If Jason Campbell does that we all would be kisssing his ass too.

McNabb has thrown waaaaaaay more TD's then Int's. Without question when he is healthy he is a very very good NFL qb. Just ask NFL defensive coordinators. I doubt they would say he is overrated.

I did not have a problem with Rush saying the media wants blacks to do well. If he feels that way fine. Just back it up with an accurate statement. In this case it was simply not accurate.

But Rush' comments were wrong. He basically said that McNabb was overrated and the defense carried the team. That is just a ridicules statement. He got his team to 3 or 4 straight NFC Champ. games and a SB??? With average to below WR's ??? C'mon! If Jason Campbell does that we all would be kisssing his ass too.

McNabb has thrown waaaaaaay more TD's then Int's. Without question when he is healthy he is a very very good NFL qb. Just ask NFL defensive coordinators. I doubt they would say he is overrated.

I did not have a problem with Rush saying the media wants blacks to do well. If he feels that way fine. Just back it up with an accurate statement. In this case it was simply not accurate.

Good points here, I was a little bewildered reading through the thread and seeing so many people defend Rush. Im not saying he should have been fired for his comment, but it was definitely not accurate, and in my opinion in bad taste.

That said, McNabbs comments are just as tasteless and demeaning, if not more so.