Ever notice black athletes are only compared to other black athletes

Darius
Darius Members Posts: 22,649 ✭✭✭✭
edited July 2010 in From the Cheap Seats
and white players are only compared to white players

Like lets say there is some black undersized receiver who is fast and very athletic, the announcer will almost alwasy compare that receiver to Steve Smith, but if its a small, quick white receiver they are compared to Wes Welker.


for instance. If you do a google search for "The next steve smith" the results point towards Desean Jackson of the Eagles, a black dude. But if you google "the next wes welker" then the first result is for some white dude in high school, with quotes like, "Campanaro says he'll most likely play offense in college. "Campanaro says he'll most likely play offense in college. "A lot of coaches are telling me that I'm the next Wes Welker and they see me playing the inside slot position."

This is a thread I made a long time ago, and naturally it got locked, but but i recently read an article by someone from SI who shares this sentiment

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/ross_tucker/03/22/stereotypes/index.html



? , even superstar white running back Toby Gerhart and Safety John Lynch believe the same thing

“I was talking with [longtime NFL safety] John Lynch, and joking around that he was in the same situation as a safety,” Gerhart said. “We’re often only compared to other quote-unquote white guys that play our position. … I’m color blind. I’m a running back. I’d compare myself to the running styles of Eddie George and Corey Dillon.”
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Comments

  • Darius
    Darius Members Posts: 22,649 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    wrong forum bro
  • Mr. AJ
    Mr. AJ Members Posts: 1,706 ✭✭
    edited March 2010
    ______________________k
  • playmaker88
    playmaker88 Members Posts: 67,905 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    True..Id compare John lynch to my boy Darren Woodson.. but all in all sometimes its hard to compare and contrast. Who else could you compare Welker too.. Id say tim Dwight.. .. hes white..

    See if you can come up with some legit comparisions.. ill try.
  • 1of1
    1of1 Members Posts: 37,468 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    Yo Gerhart is a beast...
  • 5th Letter
    5th Letter Members, Moderators, Writer Posts: 37,068 Regulator
    edited March 2010
    Christian Laettner was supposed to be the next Larry Bird.
  • deeroc22
    deeroc22 Members Posts: 4,548 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    Never thought about this but yeah theres def some truth to that..
  • lamontbdc
    lamontbdc Members Posts: 18,824 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    just stereotypes that we carry with us and don't even realize like a good white player is smart and heady and a student of the game good black players have freakish athleticism I was watching some skills ? on ESPN last night and Kurt Herbstreet was there with his kids and the guy asked him could he dunk in high school and he said naw I got white man's disease. the stereotype that white man can't jump has truth behind and it's so part of our society that we just relate to it without even thinking about it.
  • Darius
    Darius Members Posts: 22,649 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    Yo Gerhart is a beast...

    and someone will compare him to a jon riggins or alsott, even if the description doesn't fit
  • D.D.S.
    D.D.S. Members Posts: 7,405 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    jamacia wrote: »
    Christian Laettner was supposed to be the next Larry Bird.


    lmao! c how that turned out.....
  • 5th Letter
    5th Letter Members, Moderators, Writer Posts: 37,068 Regulator
    edited March 2010
    D.D.S. wrote: »
    lmao! c how that turned out.....

    Laettner had a solid career but yes he was a disappointment.
  • rakim ii
    rakim ii Members Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    In college they were calling Adam Morrison the next Larry Bird lol. Dirk Nowitzki was also touted as the next Larry Legend. Chris Mullins too.
  • radaman
    radaman Members Posts: 11,912 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    Yo John Wall is the next John Stockton... No?

    Haha
  • PanchoYoSancho
    PanchoYoSancho Members Posts: 13,177 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    It really depends on the position. I think the Jackson/Smith/Welker comparison is a bad example. I dont see the big deal of comparing Jackson to Smith besides Welker, because both Jackson and Smith are deep threats. Welker is not.


    But I do agree that what you see with your own eyes often defines how you categorize that player. When the question "Who does he remind you of?" comes up, that temptation to compare him to someone of his own skin color will come up fast.
  • ThaChozenWun
    ThaChozenWun Members Posts: 9,390
    edited March 2010
    As far as football ive always wondered why black athletes were rarely compared to white players, I have no idea cause i see alot of similarties in black players to whites who played before them. Now as far as basketball athletes I understand because alot of black athletes are coming in as athletes and truthfully there hasnt been many white athletes but white basketball players. The only basketball comparisons Ive heard was Daneil Gibson to Steve Kerr, and Paul to pistol pete. If you realize Gibson and Paul arent the most athletic and dont need to be at their positions. White NBA guys usually come in as shooters and all the big white guys come from Europe so are more jump shooters than anything. Like i said though football baffles me on this subject
  • bow to royalty
    bow to royalty Members Posts: 3,985 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    I can kinda see why in football. It's like black/white players have different play styles. At QB the top white players are Brady and Manning arguably. They're stay in the pocket, not very mobile QB's. Top black QB is Mcnabb and I guess Young who are known for their mobility. I don't think if a white QB was coming out of college being real mobile, running around he'd be compared to Manning/Brady. Also, the only notable white receiver in the NFL is Welker and he's not a deep threat. If a white receiver came out as a real deep threat (Andre Johnson, Moss, Wayne) I don't think they'd compare him to Welker.

    Basically I think it's because of different playing styles between the 2 races.
  • tru_m.a.c
    tru_m.a.c Members Posts: 9,091 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    I can kinda see why in football. It's like black/white players have different play styles. At QB the top white players are Brady and Manning arguably. They're stay in the pocket, not very mobile QB's. Top black QB is Mcnabb and I guess Young who are known for their mobility. I don't think if a white QB was coming out of college being real mobile, running around he'd be compared to Manning/Brady. Also, the only notable white receiver in the NFL is Welker and he's not a deep threat. If a white receiver came out as a real deep threat (Andre Johnson, Moss, Wayne) I don't think they'd compare him to Welker.

    Basically I think it's because of different playing styles between the 2 races.

    yup yup def agree
  • Darius
    Darius Members Posts: 22,649 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2010
    who made this thread
  • 1of1
    1of1 Members Posts: 37,468 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2010
    Lol upped for merge-ery
  • KeepOnPushing
    KeepOnPushing Members Posts: 17,569 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2010
    ROFL , i never knew this thread was made....my bad...
  • Darius
    Darius Members Posts: 22,649 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2010
    ROFL , i never knew this thread was made....my bad...

    No prob. I think this was made before millz "brought cheap seats back" so not many people did see it
  • tru_m.a.c
    tru_m.a.c Members Posts: 9,091 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2010
    I can kinda see why in football. It's like black/white players have different play styles. At QB the top white players are Brady and Manning arguably. They're stay in the pocket, not very mobile QB's. Top black QB is Mcnabb and I guess Young who are known for their mobility. I don't think if a white QB was coming out of college being real mobile, running around he'd be compared to Manning/Brady. Also, the only notable white receiver in the NFL is Welker and he's not a deep threat. If a white receiver came out as a real deep threat (Andre Johnson, Moss, Wayne) I don't think they'd compare him to Welker.

    Basically I think it's because of different playing styles between the 2 races.

    requoted......
  • Darius
    Darius Members Posts: 22,649 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2010
    Personally I've never heard a mcnabb/ Marino comparision. I heard Payton/marino until the colts finally got one.
  • NCswag
    NCswag Members Posts: 2,823 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2010
    <<< can't wait for a black qb who is lethal in the pocket and doesn't run.
  • jackthemack
    jackthemack Members Posts: 11,491 ✭✭✭
    edited July 2010
    <<< can't wait for a white guy dunking on people at will

    Josh McRoberts can. That white muhfucca can take off.
  • Darius
    Darius Members Posts: 22,649 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2010
    NCswag wrote: »
    <<< can't wait for a black qb who is lethal in the pocket and doesn't run.

    I think RUssell Wilson could be that guy. He runs now but I think if he chooses the NFL he would be a pocket passer. Smh @ you not reppin Rodney Peete