John McGraw, Andy Reid, And Black Quarterbacks

by with One Comment FeaturedSports

The 2019 National Football League season will go down as a very special football season for many years to come. It was the 100th season of the National Football League in which they announced their 100 greatest players in league history. Secondly, it was the first season in which several Black quarterbacks were amongst the league’s best. With Baltimore Ravens Quarterback, Lamar Jackson winning the NFL MVP and Mahomes being the second Black quarterback to win the Super Bowl MVP, the league showcased what sensible people knew all along: Black quarterbacks are just as capable of leading their teams to victory as White quarterbacks – a mindset that still lingers in some fans, and even worse, some front-office decision-makers. 

We’ve come a long way in American sports regarding race. We still have a lot more progress to make on race and gender issues in sports; however, this article will highlight how far we’ve come. 

I want to tell the story of a great Baseball manager, John McGraw, and how his story serves as an example of racial progression in sports. 

Most people have never heard of the legendary baseball manager John McGraw. McGraw, a man who died in 1934, is still considered “the best player to become a great manager” in baseball history. John played and managed his entire Major League Baseball career without ever having the opportunity to do so with any Black or nonwhite player. Unlike many of his contemporaries, McGraw did follow players and teams of the Negro Leagues. He did so up until his death, in which his wife found in his pocket a list of all the Black players he wanted to sign over the years. McGraw would never come close to being able to sign any Negro League players, for the league would not become integrated until the arrival of Jackie Robinson in 1947.

Unlike John McGraw, Andy Reid’s coaching career is most unique regarding race relations in sports. As mentioned before, the racism surrounding Black quarterbacks has kept hundreds of would-be good Black quarterbacks from being just that, quarterbacks. Which has led, up until very recently, in any given NFL season a handful of black starting quarterbacks. 

Since Andy Reid’s coaching debut in 1999 to winning Super Bowl LIV, for the bulk of those years Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, and Patrick Mahomes were his starting quarterbacks. In other words, in an NFL where only a handful of Black Quarterbacks exist, Reid has coached three of them over his entire career. Reid and McGraw are clearly alike, it should be about the players, not the politics. 

Hopefully, articles like this won’t be necessary in the upcoming years for the hysteria around Black quarterbacks simply won’t matter, only if he’s got it or if he doesn’t. More importantly, never again will a manager or coach have to go to their grave not being able to sign a player simply because of the color of their skin.

Similar Read: Will Black Quarterbacks Dominate the NFL in 10 Years?

All Eyes on AB

by with One Comment FeaturedSports

The AB Raiders saga is over. AB arrived in Oakland with a contract guaranteeing him $30 million, and he’s leaving with $0, not even his “signing bonus.” 

You might ask how does this happen, it’s worth another article, but this is reason #1,249 why the NFLPA is the worst union in all of professional sports… (a lack of actual guaranteed monies and contractual language that highly favors the team)

A short AB in Oakland timeline might be helpful…

In July, he was placed on the non-football injury list for a foot injury.

In August, he missed several practices in training camp due to his helmet grievances.

On Wednesday, September 4th, he was fined for missing practices and had a heated confrontation with General Manager Mike Mayock where he allegedly called him a “cracker.” (Ummm, yeah)

Cue Adam Schefter…

AB let sources know that he refused to play in Oakland since his once guaranteed money was no longer guaranteed, and asked for a release the next day…. via Instagram, of course. He also secretly recorded a conversation he had with Head Coach John Gruden, and then released a mini video with audio clips of the coach essentially trying to have a heart-to-heart talk with him where he basically asked him to stop doing this, whatever this is.

So upon his request the Raiders released him, and within hours the New England Patriots signed him to a 1-year deal worth $15 million with $9 million guaranteed. Yeah… despite his tumultuous exit from Pittsburgh, his short and rocky time in Oakland, he’s now a New England Patriot, who were already picked to return to the Super Bowl. With the addition of AB, it’s hard to think they won’t return with all the talent Brady now has on the outside.

Is that fair? Probably not. But what does that say about AB and the NFL?

AB has a lot of issues, clearly… whether he’s selfish, conceited, the money has gone to his head, mental health issues, or maybe he just doesn’t want to play football anymore and loves the attention, who knows, but something is going on. Whatever it is, we know the NFL is still willing to deal with it because at any moment this 5’9-185 lbs wide receiver can change the game in the blink of an eye. Based on his numbers alone, you can make the argument that he’s arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. And maybe that’s why the NFL is the only employer in the world, with the exception of other professional sports leagues, who will put up with such behavior and conduct detrimental to their organization and reputation, just because he gives them a greater chance to win, and win it all.

Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, was trending on Twitter over the weekend… people were praising him for essentially controlling AB for all those years and somehow managing a locker room of 53 guys and still finding a way to contend for a championship every year. If that’s true, including many of AB’s former teammate Ryan Clark’s recent comments in which he’s criticized AB’s selfish behavior, then Tomlin probably does deserve some slack and an award or two for holding it together for as long as he did.

Will his antics stop in New England? Probably long enough for him to collect a few big checks. If that’s before or after they hoist the Lombardi trophy for winning Super Bowl LIV (54) in Miami Gardens on February 2, 2020… only AB knows.

Similar Read: Segregated Rosters 

A Bowl of Soup, Super Bowl Politics

by with No Comment FeaturedSports

You ever have a good bowl of soup? I mean a really good bowl of soup. Either jumbo, crab soup or Étouffée… well, I don’t think Étouffée is soup but it’s served in a bowl with soup like features… all of which leave mouth watering feels if you don’t eat it that often. That’s because soup is generally blah served via a can and you’re only eating it cause you’re a little under the weather or cold. So when you do get a good bowl of soup, my God, it’s amazing. More amazing than a traditional dish of food sometimes. 

I for one gladly break my plant-based diet during my annual trip to New Orleans to satisfy my desire for some shrimp Étouffée or jumbo. Delicious!

I thought about a bowl of soup while thinking of a Super Bowl recap. Whether you’re a casual football fan or a die-hard fan like myself, it’s hard not to say this Super Bowl lived up to the hype. It was a bowl of disappointment, reminding me of regular soup. The soup we all order at a restaurant that isn’t terrible, but not memorable.

Each football season we look forward to the Super Bowl. It’s an unofficial holiday, and despite never knowing exactly who will be playing, it’s mega get together akin to Thanksgiving and Christmas. We love the Super Bowl, even if our respective clubs aren’t playing.

Last Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots was exactly that – a bowl of soup on the menu that looked promising, but ended up not being eaten and made you have that awkward talk with the waiter to “try something else” instead.

Outside of Patriots fans, no one had an interest in seeing the Patriots appear in their third straight Super Bowl and their fourth in the last five years. Most knew if the Patriots got in, especially against the Rams, they were going to win. No matter what transpired in the actual game, a super dud in many opinions, the outcome was going to be Tom Brady hosting up the Lombardi trophy. 

The backdrop of the Super Bowl didn’t help the lack of interest either. The conference title games between the Patriots and Chiefs and the Saints and Rams both ended in major controversy. Between a bogus roughing the passer call on Tom Brady, not shocking, to the missed pass interference call against the Rams, many fans felt as if the Patriots and Rams didn’t even belong in the Super Bowl, let alone excited to watch them play. 

To make the situation worse, the game was terrible. Terrible in every sense of the word. It didn’t deliver the same excitement we saw in earlier season games, and it was definitely underwhelming in comparison to last years Super Bowl with the Eagles and Patriots.

The Super Bowl was supposed to be some world famous Wolfgang Puck tortilla soup, but instead, it tasted more like hard strips of stale chips in broth. Yuckers! 

Next year’s presidential election will likely be similar to the stale chips. It’ll pit Trump against a Democrat primary sure to be full of drama and intrigue. While we’re all excited to see the complete list of candidates, we know the eventual primary winner is sure to be common and uninspiring. Obama ’08 was an anomaly, not the norm. 

Every now and then we get a Patriots comeback against the Atlanta Falcons (SB LI – 2017), or the Seattle Seahawks (SB XLIX – 2015) Russell Wilson throwing an interception on the goal line when everyone in the stadium just knew they’d score and take the lead with seconds remaining. Those Super Bowls were anything but common, just like Obama ’08. But, for the most part, Super Bowls have either been blowouts or okay at best. Or should I say, just a regular bowl of soup… and 2020 will be no different.

WALMART (NFL)… IT IS WHAT IT IS

by with 3 Comments NFLSports

“You might not admit it, but you’re going to Walmart within the next few weeks and it’ll probably be to get some items to watch an NFL game.” 

The NFL has the highest average attendance of all professional sports leagues in the world. Yes, even more than European Football Clubs. The Super Bowl is the most watched TV program in America, by a long shot. Backup quarterback Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles upset victory against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LII was watched by 103 million people. There are 320 million people in the United States, so roughly 30%, or 1 out of every 3 people in the U.S.,  watched the Super Bowl. The second most watched sporting event in America is The Olympics, which pulled roughly 30 million viewers, less than 1/3 the viewership of the Super Bowl. 

So yes… even with the debate over protesting, football being linked to permanent brain damage, viewership down, and youth participation down in American cities and towns… the NFL is still very popular and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Switching gears for a minute, Walmart has become the poster child for meager employee benefits and low wages. With that being said, they’re still the premier shopping destination in the U.S.… despite having 20,000 checkout lanes in every store and only 3 being open… despite the shame of being open everyday of the year except Christmas… and despite weekly videos on social media showing “Walmart shoppers” shopping in pajamas using motorized wheelchairs (when they’re not handicapped).

The premier shopping destination in the U.S.… how? 

Walmart’s business model is a relic of the past. It’s a big-box retailer that sells several products that have been linked to animal cruelty. They’ve promoted their social conservatism via the removal of certain magazines, and they’ve chosen to not sell certain artists records that they’ve deemed inappropriate. Approximately 70% of their employees leave within their first year, yet 1.4 million Americans receive a paycheck from them. Yes, 1.4 million people work for Walmart, and they have what we want… known products at the cheapest price. Most Walmart shoppers aren’t the grown women in SpongeBob pajamas like their advertisements suggest. Instead, it’s someone who needs to pick up some cereal or a phone charger, and they need to get all of these items in one place before traffic picks up again.

Everyone shops at Walmart, everyone, most just hate to admit it. 

Speaking of everyone… No other sport in the world has an unofficial holiday like the NFL with Super Bowl Sunday. No matter if you agree with the NFL protests, if you’re a fantasy football guru, or if you’re not totally sure Brett Favre doesn’t play anymore, you’re going to a Super Bowl Party.

Why is that?

Despite steps to make it a safer game, it’s inherently dangerous. The NFL protests have become as great of a contentious wedge issue in this country as abortion. The average career for an NFL player is roughly three years. (Do not be fooled by 41-Year-old Tom Brady, he’s not the norm.) The NFL Players union (the NFLPA) is easily the weakest in all professional sports. And like Walmart, it continues to lead the pack in its respective category.

How?

Well, a touchdown is still an awesome thing to watch. The excitement and buildup of a football game is unparalleled in any other sport. Inevitably, it’s simply a great game and gives an equally great feel. And no matter where you stand with Colin Kaepernick and the player protests, it simply won’t derail that feeling… especially with legal gambling being a thing.

So yes, Walmart and the NFL have a lot of work to do to get better… to better its workforce and public image. But both still provide a need, and unless that need is replaced, both will remain on top. Need proof? Like I insinuated above, Walmart is and will continue to be packed every year in preparation for Super Bowl Sunday, and you’ll most likely be one of their shoppers. 

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You Can’t “Uninvite” Us, We Weren’t Coming

by with No Comment FeaturedSports

The Philadelphia Eagles, like any professional sports team that wins a World Championship, were invited to the White House to celebrate their accomplishment. As a team with vocal players like Malcolm Jenkins and Chris Long, it came as no surprise that many of them chose not to attend the event, scheduled for today. When President Trump was made aware of the low team attendance that was expected, despite the fact that several Eagles publicly stating that they wouldn’t attend shortly after winning the Super Bowl, he “rescinded” his invitation citing the Eagles’ dislike of the NFL’s new national anthem policy.

Related: Anthem Penalties: We Are Who We Thought They Were

In the White House statement, Trump again associated standing for the national anthem with patriotism and respect for the military. It is unclear whether he is just too narrow-minded to understand the full depth of the issue, or if he just doesn’t care and sees this matter as a win for his base. Either way, he conveniently ignores why the players were kneeling during the national anthem last season, which was in protest to social injustice and police brutality (not to mention that the Eagles’ players did stand for the anthem every game last season). While Trump likes to argue that these men do not care about their country, a strong argument could be made that they actually care more about their country than he does because they recognize injustice and are actively working to address it and make positive changes.

Trump has made it clear that he does not have the ability to understand things past their face value. The Eagles decision not to attend, prior to being “uninvited,” is a sign that they’re doing something right as a group, which has proven to be active in combating social injustice in America. I hope to see them continue to speak up and support causes they believe in, regardless of the bullying tactics that Trump uses to discourage positive discourse.

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Eagles Decline the White House

by with One Comment FeaturedSports

This past week Philadelphia sport fans have been celebrating the city’s first Super Bowl Championship, FINALLY! Along with post-win celebration comes, usually, the invitation to the White House. Some Eagles players have already publicly stated that they have no intention of going, and that’s their right.

The notion that teams or team members who respectfully decline the White House are anything but respectfully allowed to do so, is misguided frustration about ideas of tradition, patriotism, racism, and a variety of other ‘isms. Citizens can be critical of the country or unsupportive of the president and still love, respect, and support the country, as well as respect the office of the president. These ideas are not mutually exclusive.

They have every right as a team to decline the invitation. Their decline was respectful, and they’re are allowed to say no. Respect for anyone, even the president, does not mean acquiescing to every request and whim.

Response: Tell us what you think! Should sports teams be able to decline White House invitations?