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Brady in a Yankees fitted. He's no dummy 
How has Russell Wilson managed to stay above the criticism aimed at black QBs?
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by jjs07,
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Dude wearing a doily
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He was a beast in the playoffs and the Super Bowl. They couldn't have done it without him...........................
Naaaahhhhh......Great numbers at the end but the game was over before he put them up.
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It was only a matter of time till people went here with him. While he does come off as corny and too gee golly I never liked separating us (black people) into categories. That's exactly what some people want. I'll just say the same thing I said about RG3, they grew up in a certain area and that's how they act.
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Russel Wilson in that commercial getting his hair cut by white barbers, thats when I knew for sure I couldn't rock with him. 
There is no such thing as "not black enough" but there are different black experiences.
Russ is one kind of black, Marshawn is another, Percy is another, they don't have to like each other.
There is no such thing as "not black enough" but there are different black experiences.
Russ is one kind of black, Marshawn is another, Percy is another, they don't have to like each other.
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Wouldnt mind if they blow that team up to get RW more friendly faces in the locker room, maybe they could trade for riley cooper
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and toby gerhart
Wouldnt mind if they blow that team up to get RW more friendly faces in the locker room, maybe they could trade for riley cooper
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Wouldnt mind if they blow that team up to get RW more friendly faces in the locker room, maybe they could trade for riley cooper
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Don't know why but this made me laugh. Almost looks photoshopped.
aNYone
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On a serious note I think this has less to do with his ethnicity or mixed raced and more to do with his personality
Unfortunately it seems like people synonomize race and personality. Same thing Mcnabb went through and hes not mixed. you don't hear things like this about Kaep and he is mixed
Russells perceived corniness is the reason for all this
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The demise of the Seahawks
On a serious note I think this has less to do with his ethnicity or mixed raced and more to do with his personality
Unfortunately it seems like people synonomize race and personality. Same thing Mcnabb went through and hes not mixed. you don't hear things like this about Kaep and he is mixed
Russells perceived corniness is the reason for all this
They get on Kap for his tats, headphones, and how he wears his hat. He's not exempt.
aNYone
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I know this
But they dont get on him about race or him not being black enough. Like the title says he is not above the criticism aimed at black qbs.
Unlike russell.
I was just making the point that it isnt explicitly about ethnicity when talking about russ not being black enough. I just used Kaep because he is bi racial but we dont hear the not black enough issue with him.
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I mean, why do you think the media/fans pile on him for the things that have nothing to do with how he plays on the field? It's most definitely about race.
aNYone
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I understand this bro. We are not really disagreeing. Maybe i worded it wrong. Im basically saying that the "not black enough" issue is not brought up with Kaep.
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Russell Wilson is black??
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As long as their making money off of your marketability, they treat you as if you should be privileged to be in a position to be a pro athlete. They didn't want us Black people in their leagues because old ideologies. Once sports franchise owners realized they were doing themselves a FINANCIAL disservice by not letting Black athletes participate, they wised up, and $$$$$$ flowed exponentially. If there were no Black athletes in Football, Basketball, baseball during the 1950s-early 2000s, or now, sports wouldn't be an American cash cow. Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon, Doug Williams, Rodney Peete, Shaun King, Kordell, Tony Banks, Vince Young, Quincy Carter, Charlie Ward, Andre Ware, they all went through it.
elpablo21
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Great read from Carl Banks on the subject matter
Blackward Thinking
Forget who’s “black enough,” it’s time to address the big black elephant in the room — and acknowledge what we really mean when we talk about the NFL, violence and race.
Blackward Thinking
Forget who’s “black enough,” it’s time to address the big black elephant in the room — and acknowledge what we really mean when we talk about the NFL, violence and race.
On Wednesday, a report surfaced that a rift has developed inside the defending Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks’ locker room — purportedly due to a certain segment of the team’s players being of the belief that quarterback Russell Wilson is not “black enough” for their liking.
In a society as race-crazy as ours, this sort of news is equal parts shocking and unsurprising. And — rumor or genuine story — it’s not worth anyone’s time or consideration.
In my 12 seasons as an NFL player, no one ever accused me of not being black enough. No one ever questioned my blackness because I had attained my undergraduate degree in communications from Michigan State University. No one accused me of being a sellout when I chose to invest my intellectual capital wisely, laying the business groundwork for my successful transition to life after football. And though there were undoubtedly those in my locker rooms who felt that way about me — players who occupied the same real estate as Percy Harvin and Marshawn Lynch, if they, in fact, do question Wilson’s blackness — no one dared say it to my face, or leak it to the media.
There is no litmus test for racial “legitimacy.” The only thing these “tests” reveal is a window into the foolish psyche of whomever applies them.
Unfortunately, discussions about race and the NFL are rarely nuanced and are usually counterproductive. Fans, pundits, and even players themselves regularly squander the chance to discuss race in meaningful ways. We are trained to talk around race, rather than about it, so we end up talking about “racial legitimacy” instead of deeper, real issues — like why the league’s perceived crime issues are viewed heavily through the lens of race.
Think about some of the NFL’s recent race “discussions.” Is RG3 a brother or a cornball brother? Is Michael Vick inhumane to animals, or is he just doing what black people do? And now, is Russell Wilson black enough to command the respect of his teammates?Yes. Russell Wilson is black, black enough, and legitimately black. Society long ago placed that marker on him, regardless of the apparently flimsy logic of some of Wilson’s teammates. Black authenticity is a tired, outdated, and destructive idea. It is undeserving of serious analysis.
As far as authentic, legitimate and worthwhile discourse on race and football goes, there’s this: roughly 66 percent of today’s NFL players are African-American, and a good number of them have stories about the incarcerations, physical abuse, drug abuse and other dysfunction that compromised their family structure growing up. Even now, sports remains the great escape — in many cases, the only escape — from our poorest cities and neighborhoods. Through athletics, those who excel are afforded an opportunity to mend broken families, and re-chart lives that would otherwise be destined for society’s scrapheap.
These facts do not totally define the NFL, nor the culture among players. We know that not all NFL players come from challenging upbringings; not all NFL players who behave poorly are African-American; and not all players who come from disadvantaged backgrounds reflect the dysfunction of those backgrounds in their personal conduct. We know there are relatively small numbers of legal issues per team roster. However, on a roster of 53 players, each team has its share of guys who tick off boxes that, fairly or unfairly, provoke public skepticism, and it’s important to discuss these facts honestly and with perspective.
Today’s NFL is marked by players who are the first in their family to attend college, many of whom still carry the constrictions and burdens their youth environments placed upon them. NFL franchises approach a talent pool of players who lack essential life skills with an optimistic hope that the structure of a professional organization will help them transcend the environment from which they came, but without the practical wisdom to help these players actualize their off-field potential. The focus is cold and misplaced: it’s how can we anticipate their inevitable criminal behavior, not how can we foster in them a perspective that eliminates the need for spin and cover up.
Money further complicates matters, both in terms of player behavior and public perception. Those who view the league’s issues from the comfort of their season-ticket seats, luxury boxes, or living rooms find player misconduct unfathomable. How can a player making millions of dollars be so stupid? This outsider perspective discounts not only environmental influence, but the crucial fact that so many of these men are first-generation millionaires without the fiscal literacy to build and sustain their newfound wealth.
The bulk of these players and their families are new to a moneyed existence, and stubbornly (or optimistically) unaware that the average NFL player’s career is just 3.5 years. That brief shelf life requires deft management and maximization of wealth, but players often lean on their agents and childhood friends to be advisors, and while the agents are paid by players for expertise … let’s just say sound decisions aren’t always made.
Another issue, one that is overlooked and barely discussed, is the reality that the problems and misdeeds ascribed to players extend to ownership and league administrators, as well. Roger Goodell was taken to task by media and big NFL sponsors alike for his mishandling of recent, high-profile domestic violence cases. Meanwhile, plenty of people in ownership and team management positions have had documented issues with drugs, DUIs, and financial impropriety in their outside businesses, among other irresponsible behavior.
The point is, contrary to public perception and popular media narrative, bad behavior is not an NFL problem, a player problem, a black problem, or a class problem; along with players, there are coaches, general managers, trainers, team secretaries and others who also have dealt with the depressing issues of drugs, violence, abuse, and alcoholism. In this age of revisiting The Great Gatsby, we somehow continue to miss F. Scott Fitzgerald’s essential insight: no class or group has a monopoly on pathetic lifestyle.
This all helps explain the team atmosphere within NFL clubs, where second chances often are granted. Our culture is one that believes in redemption, in the comeback story. Yes, as it relates to sports, those chances can be pegged to just how much a player can help a given team, but there’s also a greater awareness in NFL locker rooms of these issues and the cultural backgrounds that seed dysfunction. Moving forward, front offices have to mirror this awareness, and encourage greater self-awareness in players, making them understand they are not alone in facing these challenges.
By no means am I an apologist for egregious, antisocial behavior on behalf of professional football players, nor am I an apologist for a Commissioner whose reaction simply fell short. What I am is a believer in the human capability to change and evolve, especially if that comes after an appropriate punishment has been served. I am not inclined to throw any human into society’s waste bin if he is willing to make a sincere effort to rehabilitate. I also believe the NFL has an obligation to its fans and sponsors to ensure that the product is worthy — in both money terms and in human decency — of its asking price.
Players have an obligation to their immediate family, team family, fans, community, and sponsors to behave in a professional manner as outlined within the rules set forth by both their employer and larger societal expectations. In this way, the NFL is no different from any other occupation. Being a “product of society” is no longer an excuse in the NFL’s healthier and wealthier world, nor is management’s ignorance of the same issues in setting policy. We can do better, and I expect we will.
My childhood friend and advisor, District Judge Nathaniel Perry of Flint, Michigan, once told me, “You cannot legislate human behavior.” That’s true, but you can try to understand it and protect against it at a level that meets a changing society’s standards. That’s a challenge we all share — as players, fans, and reporters. The NFL culture is, ultimately, our culture. We all owe it to each other to assess these issues with understanding, depth and sophistication.
Scapegoats allow us to feel good about ourselves; they give us someone to shout at. What scapegoats don’t provide is progress. Again, social dysfunction is not an NFL issue, an athlete issue, or a black issue — it’s our issue. We will succumb under its weight, or rise above it, as a team.
In a society as race-crazy as ours, this sort of news is equal parts shocking and unsurprising. And — rumor or genuine story — it’s not worth anyone’s time or consideration.
In my 12 seasons as an NFL player, no one ever accused me of not being black enough. No one ever questioned my blackness because I had attained my undergraduate degree in communications from Michigan State University. No one accused me of being a sellout when I chose to invest my intellectual capital wisely, laying the business groundwork for my successful transition to life after football. And though there were undoubtedly those in my locker rooms who felt that way about me — players who occupied the same real estate as Percy Harvin and Marshawn Lynch, if they, in fact, do question Wilson’s blackness — no one dared say it to my face, or leak it to the media.
There is no litmus test for racial “legitimacy.” The only thing these “tests” reveal is a window into the foolish psyche of whomever applies them.
Unfortunately, discussions about race and the NFL are rarely nuanced and are usually counterproductive. Fans, pundits, and even players themselves regularly squander the chance to discuss race in meaningful ways. We are trained to talk around race, rather than about it, so we end up talking about “racial legitimacy” instead of deeper, real issues — like why the league’s perceived crime issues are viewed heavily through the lens of race.
Think about some of the NFL’s recent race “discussions.” Is RG3 a brother or a cornball brother? Is Michael Vick inhumane to animals, or is he just doing what black people do? And now, is Russell Wilson black enough to command the respect of his teammates?Yes. Russell Wilson is black, black enough, and legitimately black. Society long ago placed that marker on him, regardless of the apparently flimsy logic of some of Wilson’s teammates. Black authenticity is a tired, outdated, and destructive idea. It is undeserving of serious analysis.
As far as authentic, legitimate and worthwhile discourse on race and football goes, there’s this: roughly 66 percent of today’s NFL players are African-American, and a good number of them have stories about the incarcerations, physical abuse, drug abuse and other dysfunction that compromised their family structure growing up. Even now, sports remains the great escape — in many cases, the only escape — from our poorest cities and neighborhoods. Through athletics, those who excel are afforded an opportunity to mend broken families, and re-chart lives that would otherwise be destined for society’s scrapheap.
These facts do not totally define the NFL, nor the culture among players. We know that not all NFL players come from challenging upbringings; not all NFL players who behave poorly are African-American; and not all players who come from disadvantaged backgrounds reflect the dysfunction of those backgrounds in their personal conduct. We know there are relatively small numbers of legal issues per team roster. However, on a roster of 53 players, each team has its share of guys who tick off boxes that, fairly or unfairly, provoke public skepticism, and it’s important to discuss these facts honestly and with perspective.
Today’s NFL is marked by players who are the first in their family to attend college, many of whom still carry the constrictions and burdens their youth environments placed upon them. NFL franchises approach a talent pool of players who lack essential life skills with an optimistic hope that the structure of a professional organization will help them transcend the environment from which they came, but without the practical wisdom to help these players actualize their off-field potential. The focus is cold and misplaced: it’s how can we anticipate their inevitable criminal behavior, not how can we foster in them a perspective that eliminates the need for spin and cover up.
Money further complicates matters, both in terms of player behavior and public perception. Those who view the league’s issues from the comfort of their season-ticket seats, luxury boxes, or living rooms find player misconduct unfathomable. How can a player making millions of dollars be so stupid? This outsider perspective discounts not only environmental influence, but the crucial fact that so many of these men are first-generation millionaires without the fiscal literacy to build and sustain their newfound wealth.
The bulk of these players and their families are new to a moneyed existence, and stubbornly (or optimistically) unaware that the average NFL player’s career is just 3.5 years. That brief shelf life requires deft management and maximization of wealth, but players often lean on their agents and childhood friends to be advisors, and while the agents are paid by players for expertise … let’s just say sound decisions aren’t always made.
Another issue, one that is overlooked and barely discussed, is the reality that the problems and misdeeds ascribed to players extend to ownership and league administrators, as well. Roger Goodell was taken to task by media and big NFL sponsors alike for his mishandling of recent, high-profile domestic violence cases. Meanwhile, plenty of people in ownership and team management positions have had documented issues with drugs, DUIs, and financial impropriety in their outside businesses, among other irresponsible behavior.
The point is, contrary to public perception and popular media narrative, bad behavior is not an NFL problem, a player problem, a black problem, or a class problem; along with players, there are coaches, general managers, trainers, team secretaries and others who also have dealt with the depressing issues of drugs, violence, abuse, and alcoholism. In this age of revisiting The Great Gatsby, we somehow continue to miss F. Scott Fitzgerald’s essential insight: no class or group has a monopoly on pathetic lifestyle.
This all helps explain the team atmosphere within NFL clubs, where second chances often are granted. Our culture is one that believes in redemption, in the comeback story. Yes, as it relates to sports, those chances can be pegged to just how much a player can help a given team, but there’s also a greater awareness in NFL locker rooms of these issues and the cultural backgrounds that seed dysfunction. Moving forward, front offices have to mirror this awareness, and encourage greater self-awareness in players, making them understand they are not alone in facing these challenges.
By no means am I an apologist for egregious, antisocial behavior on behalf of professional football players, nor am I an apologist for a Commissioner whose reaction simply fell short. What I am is a believer in the human capability to change and evolve, especially if that comes after an appropriate punishment has been served. I am not inclined to throw any human into society’s waste bin if he is willing to make a sincere effort to rehabilitate. I also believe the NFL has an obligation to its fans and sponsors to ensure that the product is worthy — in both money terms and in human decency — of its asking price.
Players have an obligation to their immediate family, team family, fans, community, and sponsors to behave in a professional manner as outlined within the rules set forth by both their employer and larger societal expectations. In this way, the NFL is no different from any other occupation. Being a “product of society” is no longer an excuse in the NFL’s healthier and wealthier world, nor is management’s ignorance of the same issues in setting policy. We can do better, and I expect we will.
My childhood friend and advisor, District Judge Nathaniel Perry of Flint, Michigan, once told me, “You cannot legislate human behavior.” That’s true, but you can try to understand it and protect against it at a level that meets a changing society’s standards. That’s a challenge we all share — as players, fans, and reporters. The NFL culture is, ultimately, our culture. We all owe it to each other to assess these issues with understanding, depth and sophistication.
Scapegoats allow us to feel good about ourselves; they give us someone to shout at. What scapegoats don’t provide is progress. Again, social dysfunction is not an NFL issue, an athlete issue, or a black issue — it’s our issue. We will succumb under its weight, or rise above it, as a team.
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Carlton Banks?
elpablo21
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elpablo21
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