I want to take a few minutes here and comment on a story that is currently posted on ESPN.com about Donovan McNabb telling HBO that black quarterbacks, in his eyes, are more heavily scrutinized than white quarterbacks. It’s a shame when a big-time sports figure, such as McNabb, has to play the race card as a scapegoat for why fans have turned on them.
McNabb went on to say, regarding if the media is tougher on him than on white quarterbacks such as Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning, “Let me start by saying I love those guys,” McNabb tells HBO. “But they don’t get criticized as much as we do. They don’t.” Uh huh. A few comments here. I’m unclear on who the “we” is that Donovan refers to as he’s the only quarterback that has publicly said African-American QB’s are treated differently. I’m also from Michigan and no QB ever, and I mean EVER, took heat from fans or the media the way Joey Harrington did when he was a Lion. But Joey didn’t go on Leno and pout that Detroit fans are treating him unfair because he’s white. No, the Lions fans didn’t like Harrington because Detroit continually lost.
Hey, Donovan, maybe the reason Philly fans have turned on you isn’t because you’re black. Maybe it’s due to the fact the Eagles are a mere 16-18 in Regular Season games the past 2+ years. Or that you haven’t played a full 16-game season since the 2003-2004 campaign.
As far as the media treating him differently than Manning and Palmer goes, well, Manning has led the NFL in QB Rating three of the past four years. And the year he didn’t, he finished second with a rating of 99.0. The two year’s after Palmer’s rookie season, he finished 2nd and 6th in QB Rating, with an average of 97.5. McNabb’s average QB Rating the past five seasons: a mere 93.8. So maybe, it’s not that he’s black. Maybe, Manning and Palmer are just better quarterbacks that keep their mouth’s shut and do their job each and every week.
It might be wishful thinking, but I’m anxiously anticipating the day where professional athletes, and coaches for that matter, take responsibility for their actions based solely on their abilities and merits, rather than their skin color. Sadly, I feel I might be waiting for a very long time.
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