This fall, I’ve been watching with a smirk of vindication as the sports world marveled at the number of black quarterbacks leading the best teams in college and professional football. No less an authority than ESPN recognized this transition from novelty to norm with its series, “The Year of the Black QB.”
Here is how it introduced the first episode on September 2:
The series explores the emergence of black quarterbacks in the NFL, their growing prominence, and the present and future impact on the league.
But even ESPN could not have foreseen that two black quarterbacks would be top contenders for league MVP; or that four of the six quarterbacks selected for this year’s Pro Bowl would be black, namely Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens; Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs; Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans; and Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks.
Mind you, I was almost as happy that Tom Brady was not among the two white quarterbacks who made the cut, namely Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints; and Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers.
The following titles to previous commentaries should suffice to explain my delight at Brady’s expense:
- “New England Patriots Caught in ‘Deflategate,’” January 22, 2015;
- “NFL Deflategate Investigation: Tom Brady’s a Liar and a Cheat,” May 8, 2015; and
- “NFL Sacks Brady as Court Reinstates Deflategate Suspension,” April 27, 2016.
As it happens, Brady seemed to make a liar out of me when he led the Patriots to another Super Bowl victory last season with nary a rumor about cheating. But then came this report, confirming that cheaters are as cheaters do:
The New England Patriots easily dispatched the Cincinnati Bengals 34-13 on Sunday. And they probably didn’t need to cheat to do it.
But the NFL is investigating whether they did just that after a baffling sequence a week earlier, when someone credentialed on behalf of the Patriots was caught taping the field from the press box during the Bengals-Browns game, in violation of league rules.
(Wall Street Journal, December 17, 2019)
So, from Deflategate to Spygate and so many allegations between, this is just the Patriots doing what they do. But I digress …
This following excerpt explains why “The Year of the Black QB” feels so vindicating. Tellingly enough, it’s from “Black Quarterbacks: Good Enough for the NCAA, but Not the NFL…?” September 24, 2012:
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As I channel surfed through college games on Saturday, I was struck by how many blacks were playing quarterback. Struck only because I grew up listening to eugenics propaganda about blacks not being smart enough to play this position. (You can still hear residual nonsense in this respect when commentators use code phrases like ‘he has raw talent’ or ‘he’s just naturally gifted’ – both of which overlook that he may have been smart enough to actually learn some of his skills.) …
[P]eople who question the ability of blacks to play quarterback today are clearly no different from whites who questioned the ability of blacks to fly airplanes 75 years ago.
I am mindful, though, that some ‘informed’ sports commentators suggest that this record has more to do with affirmative action than playing ability. Specifically, that political correctness has forced NCAA coaches to restructure their offense to rely more on running than passing.
Except that, whereas all commentators agree that black quarterbacks invariably offer coaches more options, only congenitally racist ones still presume that whites are invariably better at passing. After all, this is rather like presuming whites were better home-run hitters until baseball was integrated.
Anyway, the point is that the undisputed success blacks are having as quarterbacks in the NCAA makes one wonder why they are not having similar success in the NFL.
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So here’s to wondering … nevermore.
Related commentaries:
Deflategate caught…
Brady’s a liar…
NFL sacks Brady…
black quarterbacks…