Derek Bodner’s Blog

In the past few days, I’ve found myself incredibly torn with the comments made by Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. I do certainly agree that there is racism in this world. What I don’t agree with is that (the majority) if his critics critisize him because he’s black.

It’s probably easiest to go over some of what he said.

“But they [white quarterbacks] don’t get criticized as much as we do. They don’t. I pass for 300 yards. Our teams wins by seven. [They say,] ‘He could have made this throw. They would have scored if he did this.’

That, Donovan, is not racism. People who say that are not racist. They are not saying that because you’re African American. People are saying that because you’re a quarterback. You don’t think that happens to white quarterbacks? For proof of it happening in this town, look back at Ron Jaworski, who received ten times as much criticism as Donovan did during his tenure. Need a contemporary example? Ask Rex Grossman if fans withhold criticizing him because they’re winning. This is a tough town to start with, which becomes even more demanding because the Eagles haven’t won a championship in nearly half a century. Top that off with playing a position that is universally criticized if you don’t win the big one, and the criticism isn’t surprising. Think Dan Marino didn’t get unfairly criticized because he didn’t win a Super Bowl? Think John Elway didn’t get heat before winning his? Peyton Manning?

That comment’s just wrong. Those are criticisms that come with the position, and really don’t go away until you win a Super Bowl, regardless of your success.

While defending himself this past week he goes on to say:

They (white quarterbacks) probably have not been told that they should have scrambled more

Donovan, the reason people are telling you to scramble is because YOU’RE GOOD AT IT! People are not telling you that you should scramble more because you’re black, but because it’s a weapon that makes you better. I don’t think many people are telling Byron Leftwich he should scramble more because he’s black. Since he came into the league, Donovan has always seemed to look at scrambling as a bad thing because it makes him a “black quarterback”. No. It improves you as a quarterback. Donovan’s fear of racism has limited one of his strengths, and that’s why people get upset.

I don’t think people disagree with McNabb’s assertion that he faces more (and different) criticism than white quarterbacks. I don’t think people disagree that racism still exists, or that there’s not progress to be made. I think what they take exception to (and at least what I take exception to) is the example he gave in the HBO interview. Specifically, the quote about going out, throwing for 300 yards, winning by seven, and saying “we could have scored more had he done…”.

That’s the example he gave, or at least the example HBO chose to show. And that does happen to every quarterback who has failed to win the big one. There are superior QB’s to McNabb (Marino, Elway until he won, Manning until he won) who have received unfair criticism because of the position they play. The specific example McNabb gave IS something all QB’s go through. It’s the nature of the beast.

Had Donovan said “I walk out of the stadium, and I hear people tell me I’m too dumb to play QB”, there wouldn’t be nearly this reaction. In fact, I think people of all color would empathize with that. But that’s not what was aired in the interview. The reaction does not prove that racism is an issue (that’s proven through other acts), it proves that people don’t like to be painted as racist because they criticized a QB. It was Donovan’s example, not his message, that got people upset.