Wilbon on McNabb

[TheTotalPackage]

McNabb Displays His Accuracy

By Michael Wilbon

Friday, September 21, 2007; E01

Thankfully, Donovan McNabb had the guts to stand tall in the pocket with critics trying to knock his head off. Thankfully, McNabb, at 30, has some sense of the NFL beyond his own participation. Most celebrity athletes talk only when paid to talk, and usually about something benign if not downright useless.

McNabb, however, had something very real to say in a conversation with James Brown of HBO. He said black quarterbacks are under more scrutiny and criticized more harshly than white quarterbacks. Why this has become a hot-button topic I have no idea. It's not like McNabb called anybody a racist or a bigot. He said that black quarterbacks face more criticism than white quarterbacks, than Peyton Manning or Carson Palmer, just to name two. And he's right, just as black politicians or entertainers or writers are scrutinized more closely, whether it's professionally or driving home in the middle of the night from work.

Anybody who doubts McNabb needs only to walk around one of the upper-concourse areas of Lincoln Financial Field late in a game when, as several white friends have told me, the frequent use of the word "******" preceding McNabb's name during a losing performance is so casual it sickens them. Rex Grossman, just to name one white quarterback who has to deal with daily criticism, doesn't have to be on the wrong end of that kind of hateful venom, even though he'll never be half the quarterback McNabb has been.

All quarterbacks are criticized; it's the nature of the business. Joe Montana, John Elway, Brett Favre . . . they've all faced it, especially in this age of nonstop talk and analysis. Quarterback is the most important position, the most high-profile position in American sports, and nothing else comes close. The praise and criticism are both extreme to the point of absurdity.

McNabb has a $100 million contract and those Chunky Soup commercials for one reason: he's a quarterback. Most NFL players are completely unrecognizable out of their jerseys, but McNabb is so well known his mother has her own commercial success.

Undeniably, this is progress. It was unimaginable 20 years ago when Doug Williams led the Redskins to a Super Bowl victory. Williams might as well have been a Martian that Super Bowl week, as reporters crowded around him to ask how he felt about making history. Remember, Warren Moon is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but no NFL team would draft him out of the University of Washington in 1978, even though he led his team to the Rose Bowl. It wasn't enough. Scouts tried to talk him into changing positions so that some team would draft him, but he wouldn't and went to Canada. He had to leave this country to play quarterback professionally.

Black quarterbacks have come a long, long way. Just seeing James Harris and Williams play in the 1970s brought black folks to tears. I'm elated that I can't even name all the black players who play quarterback these days. The Jacksonville Jaguars ended last season with three. Vince Young, two years ago, was drafted ahead of Matt Leinart, and JaMarcus Russell, this spring, was drafted ahead of Brady Quinn. Leinart and Quinn are prototypical, perhaps even stereotypical, white, in-the-pocket, Golden Boy quarterbacks.

So the days of owners being afraid to draft black quarterbacks or coaches being afraid to play them seems long gone.

But that doesn't mean the criticism or scrutiny is the same on the outside. For the most part, people younger than 30 could not care less, largely because they don't know the history of any sport beyond last week, and sadly this includes sportswriters and players. But there are plenty of people older than 30, people who don't even examine what they're saying.

Is this a huge deal? No, probably not. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, and McNabb simply stated that. He didn't say it angrily, he didn't say he wanted to take up arms and attack The Man. He just said black quarterbacks are scrutinized and criticized more than their white frat QB brothers -- in other ways, too. As my friend Tony Kornheiser points out, black franchise quarterbacks also have been criticized by black fans and players for not being "black enough" and being too close to white ownership.

What really annoys me is that some young black quarterbacks don't seem to have any idea of the context of the issue. Don't get me wrong, it was great to hear Tennessee's Young and the Redskins' Jason Campbell (two kids who played quarterback in the South) say they hadn't faced any particularly stinging criticism. It's yet another sign of great progress. But there also was a naivete about their comments, especially Young's, when he said the notion of black quarterbacks dealing with unfair criticism is "not my fight to fight."

Of course, it isn't. Harris, Joe Gilliam, Marlin Briscoe, Moon and Williams, among others, fought it so that Young wouldn't have to. They changed positions and missed out on playing time and left the country so that this wouldn't be an issue in 2007. And for Young to say something that self-absorbed, that ignorant of the history of the men who made it possible for him, is disappointing to the extreme. Young is obliged to those men, the same way Tiger Woods is obliged to Charlie Sifford and Lee Elder and Calvin Peete. Difference is, Tiger says so every chance he gets. Tiger knows who fought the fight for him. Young, sadly, doesn't. Somebody should get in his ear and make sure he understands . . . before he takes the field again.

Vince Young hasn't heard the boos, hasn't heard the ugly and vicious catcalls that address his heritage and color . . . not yet anyway. He led the University of Texas to a national championship and presented himself as everything the position of quarterback demands. He got to the NFL and at Tennessee has in short order been exactly what a team wants in a young franchise quarterback.

But it's not always going to be kisses and candy. It wouldn't be if Young were white, either. Very likely one day, he's going to read something, see something, hear something that lets him know that there's a gap between progress and conditions being the same. And his instinct will be, quite naturally, to pick up the phone and call somebody who's been through what he's going through, somebody like McNabb, whose words might make a little more sense to him then.

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[TheTotalPackage]

this pretty much sums it up. i think most of the ones who are saying that mcnabb is wrong, stupid etc, should re-evaluate their comments after reading this.

[BadNewzSkins]

take notice that in the article Wilbon describes what the philly fan base is describing him, not the media, not the nation. Philly Qbs are under more pressure/scrutiny not black qbs.

[MisterPinstripe]

I still think he is wrong. He gets all the extra critizism because he is playing in Philly. If he was playing in Washington, he wouldnt have to deal with this. Philly is known as being extremely hard on anyone that plays there. I dont see why people fail to notice this.

[MisterPinstripe]

take notice that in the article Wilbon describes what the philly fan base is describing him, not the media, not the nation. Philly Qbs are under more pressure/scrutiny not black qbs.

Exactly! If McNabb was white playing in Philly he would get the same type of bashing. If he was playing pretty much anywhere else he wouldnt feel like this. It is just how Philly sports is. People seem to be blind though.

[ouvan59]

I'm sorry but that column doesn't give one bit of evidence to support McNabb. He says that Vince Young and Jason Campbell should acknowledge what their predecessors went through but it doesn't show anything that says that McNabb is criticized any more harshly in the media than anybody else other than in Philly. And after reading stwasm's post a couple of days ago it is a condemnation on the City of Philadelphia and not the media. Donovan McNabb is treated like he is because he is the QB of the Eagles and the fans in his city friggin suck. Black QBs are treated like Gods until they stop playing well and then they are treated like poop, just like any other QB. If you win a SB you get a get-out-of-jail-free card for a couple of years where the criticism isn't as harsh for a while. Ask Joe Theismann or Mark Rypien how they were treated when they stopped playing well.

[ThePocket17]

Also take notice that the fans mentioned in the article use the N word to describe Mcnabb in times of frustration. There isnt one white QB in the league that has to deal with that. That in itself shows you that race still plays a role in the perception of Mcnabb in Philadelphia. Is it widespread? Maybe, maybe not however for Mcnabb perception is reality and how can anyone disregard his feelings? As an Eagles fan and season ticket holder I have first hand heard some of these comments and it is the one thing as an Eagle fan that disappoints me.... That and the 0-2 start of course....

[Monte51Coleman]

take notice that in the article Wilbon describes what the philly fan base is describing him, not the media, not the nation. Philly Qbs are under more pressure/scrutiny not black qbs.

I still think he is wrong. He gets all the extra critizism because he is playing in Philly. If he was playing in Washington, he wouldnt have to deal with this. Philly is known as being extremely hard on anyone that plays there. I dont see why people fail to notice this.

Agreed and agreed.

The fact that this angle is not recognized by most of the commentators is surprising. I hope that it's not being overlooked or unmentioned intentionally.

[TheTotalPackage]

well....

white folks tend to believe that racism doesn't exist, has been eradicated thanks to the civil rights movement and civil rights laws.

black folks will tell you that they experience racism every day.

so really most of us aren't in a position to say that mcnabb is wrong becuse he currently is the only black qb playing in philly.

[Vladimir L]

It is because he is playing in Philly but ignorant Philly fans throw in the N word every now and then because he is black. He has to deal with that but! this isnt a national issue its a Philly issue.

[ouvan59]

Also take notice that the fans mentioned in the article use the N word to describe Mcnabb in times of frustration. There isnt one white QB in the league that has to deal with that. That in itself shows you that race still plays a role in the perception of Mcnabb in Philadelphia. Is it widespread? Maybe, maybe not however for Mcnabb perception is reality and how can anyone disregard his feelings? As an Eagles fan and season ticket holder I have first hand heard some of these comments and it is the one thing as an Eagle fan that disappoints me.... That and the 0-2 start of course....

But that's the point. I have never, ever, ever heard anyone use it at FedEx and I'm pretty sure that if anyone did they would get their asses handed to them by Skins fans. There is something seriously wrong with your fanbase if people can regularly shout something like that out and not face any consequences. McNabb is projecting the way he is treated by Eagle fans onto the entire country and it is sad. He doesn't deserve to be treated that way but don't tell me that we all suck because the way his own fans treat him.

[Bacon]

So he's under greater scrutiny because some drunken Iggle fans used the N word in front of his name? Better example, please. :doh:

McNabb is under more scrutiny because he's a mobile, out-of-pocket QB who is a shadow of his former self. Those "golden boys" Wilbon was speaking of are the status quo, and anything outside of that will be criticized more harshly.

[ThePocket17]

Nobody is saying that anybody sucks... Mcnabb is simply pointing out HIS perception which is all he can go by. Do I think that all black quarterbacks deal with the things Mcnabb has to? No, however I do think that if he feels that its something he needs to discuss and get out in the open... so be it. And as for the fans that do say hateful things about Mcnabb trust me when I say that a good majority face some kind of consequence as I for one almost went to blows with someone over this very topic Monday night.

[DCranon21]

McNabb needs to leave Philly. Those fans up at the Linc are the worse, and for them to use the N word blatently like that, he just needs to roll out of Philly.

[SkinsFanAnt]

take notice that in the article Wilbon describes what the philly fan base is describing him, not the media, not the nation. Philly Qbs are under more pressure/scrutiny not black qbs.

This is somewhat true and somewhat untrue. Randall Cunningham wasn't treated like that...at least I don't remember it or maybe I just don't ever remember it ever being brought up. But anyone remember Rush Limbaugh? He's media and made a blatent comment about something that had nothing to do with race...but he HAD to attach race to it (about McNabb being overrated because he's black). Then him and people like him complain that McNabb 'played the race card'.

Wilbon is right in his assessment. And it disgusts me when media tries to play against guys like McNabb who actually have a legitimate complaint. Ever notice how its most always whites who knock on the NAACP and anything thing that has to do with complaints about racial prejudice?

As a Puerto Rican, I've seen it often living in Texas. Blacks are still segregated by white flight and its always the areas where blacks live that are the 'bad neighborhoods'. Yet whites sell just as many drugs and committ just as much adultary but are treated much differently in schools and in society in general.

The problem is that American society still attaches racial sterotypes and treats minorities differently then they would their kin. Its a fact that we all have to live with it whether we like it or not and McNabb was just stating it, but somehow, that has become 'playing the race card'. I don't expect everyone to change or to see things from my point of view, but, just like McNabb, Wilbon, and the others, I hope that others would at least consider it and find the truth in it. Being discriminated against is not fun regardless of how pointless and indifferent the situation or act may be.

[Monte51Coleman]

Perhaps McNabb would have been better served to say that he is under more scrutiny in Philadelphia because he is black.

Donovan is insinuating that his situation is the norm for black quarterbacks. I have yet to see any of his peers back him up.

[RaleighSkinsMann]

Exactly! If McNabb was white playing in Philly he would get the same type of bashing. If he was playing pretty much anywhere else he wouldnt feel like this. It is just how Philly sports is. People seem to be blind though.

well you rarely hear the n word towards white qbs.....there is a difference

[ouvan59]

Perhaps McNabb would have been better served to say that he is under more scrutiny in Philadelphia because he is black.

Donovan is insinuating that his situation is the norm for black quarterbacks. I have yet to see any of his peers back him up.

I think he would have been better served to do that although I'm not sure he wanted to directly call out the Philly fans. But after hearing how stwasm was treated in Philly I was shocked. I read his post with my jaw on my desk. I can see an isolated racist trying something like that but to have many fans doing it and the rest just letting them get away with it I was ashamed and depressed. It gives you some insight into why Donovan would feel that way though.

[MisterPinstripe]

well you rarely hear the n word towards white qbs.....there is a difference

Because it wouldnt mean anything towards a white QB. Thats how Philly fans are. They rip into their players and since they were so upset that McNabb was not doing well they decided to use the N word. Its in Philly. I bet you if he was in practically any other franchise you wouldnt hear any of that. If he was in any other team in the East. The fact that the N word was used doesnt mean anything about white QBs getting critiqed less. As I have kept saying, it says how Philly fans are. No one has said that outside of Philly.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

This is a horrible article written by Wilbon :doh: I cant believe the WaPost actually publishes this crap

[carlsbadd]

I was at the VEt about 15 years ago and people were Calling Brian Mitchell a stupid N***ger after his returns, Yet Cunnigham was thier QB....I was shocked to say the least and it saddens me that this still goes on.

You would get your ass kicked if you said that at FED EX

[da#1skinsfan]

I have heard 10x more criticism about Grossman than McNabb.

The race card is in their heads. And the whole people saying the n bomb in Philly...give me a break man. How dramatic could we be. Does racism exist? Yes. Use your heads people...if you were in a mob of thousands of people and started dropping n bombs casually, what would happen to you? Philadelphia is not some bubble that is exempt from this natural law of humanity and common sense.

[praise_gibbs]

take notice that in the article Wilbon describes what the philly fan base is describing him, not the media, not the nation. Philly Qbs are under more pressure/scrutiny not black qbs.

Exactly. Why is that so hard to grasp for the media trying to make a story out of this?

Is it because it makes their whole story moot? :doh:

[praise_gibbs]

This is somewhat true and somewhat untrue. Randall Cunningham wasn't treated like that...at least I don't remember it or maybe I just don't ever remember it ever being brought up. But anyone remember Rush Limbaugh? He's media and made a blatent comment about something that had nothing to do with race...but he HAD to attach race to it (about McNabb being overrated because he's black). Then him and people like him complain that McNabb 'played the race card'.

The Rush Limbaugh story was exaggerated moreseo than this current one.

Rush said that McNabb is being hyped up to succeed because he is black. How is that false? When, you think about it, fellow African Americans are wishing the same success for the same reason that Rush stated.

The difference? Rush is white and gets paid to bring up controversial topics.

Wilbon is right in his assessment. And it disgusts me when media tries to play against guys like McNabb who actually have a legitimate complaint. Ever notice how its most always whites who knock on the NAACP and anything thing that has to do with complaints about racial prejudice?

What does that prove? Are we really playing the game of 'who ****es more?" That is a game that no one wants to win nor lose. Either way, both parties ***** until they are blue in the face. Nothing becomes of it.

As a Puerto Rican, I've seen it often living in Texas. Blacks are still segregated by white flight and its always the areas where blacks live that are the 'bad neighborhoods'. Yet whites sell just as many drugs and committ just as much adultary but are treated much differently in schools and in society in general.

Uh.. what? What does this have to do with sports and what Wilbon has stated? So whites have an equal amount of druggies. Who gives a hoot.

The problem is that American society still attaches racial sterotypes and treats minorities differently then they would their kin. Its a fact that we all have to live with it whether we like it or not and McNabb was just stating it, but somehow, that has become 'playing the race card'.

He is playing the race card. So far, JC and Barkley have disagreed with him. Both are black and both can see the difference between Philly hate and Racial hate.

I don't expect everyone to change or to see things from my point of view, but, just like McNabb, Wilbon, and the others, I hope that others would at least consider it and find the truth in it. Being discriminated against is not fun regardless of how pointless and indifferent the situation or act may be.

No one is saying that it is. But, just because it HAS happened. Doesn't mean that every situation happens because of race. Not every black man is being criticized because of their color on each and every occasion. Nor are white men, latino men, asian men, Pakistani, etc etc etc.

Sometimes, you are being criticized because you suck at what you are doing.

[SkinsNoles21]

the biggest thing to me about this entire story is when Inside the NFL decided to air it...

they waited until the eagles fall to 0-2 and McNabb clearly isnt playing like his old self.