Bad sports, good sports: Warren Moon claims racism where there is none

Posted on April 4th, 2011 by Alan Spoll

One of my least favorite things in sports is the bizarre tendency for athletes and commentators to cry racism when there is simply no evidence of it. It happens with such regularity that it has become a cliche of sorts. The NFL, in particular, seems to be a hotbed for claims of prejudice and bigotry, especially when it comes to discussion of African-American quarterbacks. This week, it was Warren Moon, former signal-caller for the Houton Oilers, who was accusing the public and the NFL draft experts of criticizing Cam Newton, soon to be NFL player out of Auburn, simply because he is black. This was completely misguided.

I am not suggesting that there is no racism in sports. There certainly is. I am also not saying that black quarterbacks have always gotten a fair shake, as that would be completely wrong. In this particular case, though, I just can not see things Moon’s way. To suggest that Newton is being scrutinized in a way that white quarterbacks do not experience can be disproven by merely looking back at last year. Tim Tebow spent the months leading up to the NFL draft being torn down by virtually everyone with an opinion. His throwing motion, college system, and tendency to take off and run rather than throw was debated and discussed to excess. Tim Tebow is white, by the way. Has Moon forgotten about Tebow that quickly, or was that situation inconvenient to his point, and therefore ignored? Baffling me further, Moon used Colt McCoy as an example of a player who came out of a spread offense, like Newton, but who did not have to endure the same level of scrutiny. What he failed to note was the fact that almost no one thought of McCoy as an elite talent, and that he was not even drafted until the third round, when the Browns took him. He was not subject to the microscope in the same way as Newton because no one believed he was an NFL quarterback.

The other point that Moon seems to have missed is that Newton’s every move has been observed and commented on because his past history is not exactly squeaky clean. First, Newton left the University of Florida after being arrested for the theft of a laptop from another student. Then, while leading his Auburn Tigers to a national title this past season, the news broke that his father had shopped him around to a number of schools before last season, reportedly asking for six figures in order to get his son to play at the particular schools in question. These are not the actions of someone who wants to remain under the radar. Everything about him, from his stellar play last season, to his off-the-field questions, to his physical attributes and talent, invites attention and hyper-focus from the massive group of NFL Draft fans and media. None of this suggests racism in any way.

If Moon wants to claim that he experienced rampant racism when he played in the NFL, I will fully agree with him. The Newton situation, though, merely shows how easy it is to use a word like racism to get attention. Cam Newton might be a great quarterback someday, but everything he has done up to this point makes the media’s treatment of him completely justified.

Bad sports, continued:

2) A mere two weeks after making news for his insulting comments about Duke basketball players, Jalen Rose was back in the news, this time for getting a DUI. My favorite part of the story is that Rose was in Detroit to assist with the open of the “Jalen Rose Leadership Academy” when it happened. Way to be a leader, Jalen.

3) There was more violence at international soccer matches this week. This time, an Egyptian club was playing a Tunisian club in the African Champions League when a mob of Egyptian fans rushed the field after their team had a goal disallowed on an offsides call. Stones were thrown and flares were lit before order was restored.

4) A fan of the San Francisco Giants, attending a Giants-Dodgers game in Los Angeles on Thursday, was badly beaten by a couple of Dodgers fans who didn’t appreciate his Giants clothing. I wonder how they’ll blame Philadelphia for this one.

5) Tennis player David Ferrer intentionally hit a tennis ball in the direction of a crying baby on Wednesday after the baby’s crying distracted him during a match in Florida. Awesome.

6) Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib was arrested on Wednesday after recently being accused of firing a gun at his sister’s boyfriend.

7) Mohammed Al Fayed, former own of Harrod’s department store in London and current owner of Fulham, an English soccer club, has unveiled a statue of Michael Jackson outside his team’s stadium in London. Bizarre.

Good sports:

1) Showing that anything can happen in the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Butler and VCU met in the Final Four’s first game on Sunday, with Butler taking home the victory. Butler will play Connecticut in the national championship game on Monday night.

2) Maya Moore, a four year starter for the University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball team, became only the second woman ever to become a four-time All-American in women’s basketball. That’s awfully impressive.

3) Will Roberts, a pitcher of the University of Virginia, threw a perfect game against GW on Tuesday, leading his team to a 2-0 win.

Bad sports, good sports appears every Monday.

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Alan Spoll

Alan Spoll is a software quality assurance director from the suburbs of Philadelphia where he lives with his wonderful wife and children. He has spent his entire life as a passionate fan of the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, Flyers, and Penn State. Recent Phillies success aside, you will understand his natural negativity. Follow me on Twitter - @DocAlan02