Agree 2 Disagree

The Coaching Carousel

rrcrable — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:10:15 +0000

In light of Bobby Petrino leaving his head coaching position of the Atlanta Falcons and taking over in the same role of the Arkansas Razorbacks, I asked myself why is it coaches seem to always get a pass when they jump from team to team? In the past few years several coaches who have found some success in the collegiate ranks have wanted to try their hand at the pro level only to tuck tail and run back to college. Some of the most historic programs in college football and basketball have saved these coaches from further embarassment, by hiring them. Nick Saban with Alabama, Steve Spurrier with South Carolina, Pete Caroll With USC, Rick Pitino with Louisville, John Calipari with Memphis. These are some of the heavyweights in college coaching all had chances with the pros and failed miserably. Only to let those they once uttered the statement of family together upset and disappointed. Here in lies the problem I have, everyone knows that any business large or small has to have strong leadership and commitment from the people at the top to be succesful and thrive. You have these coaches who say all the same things commitment, determination, overcoming adversity, family, competing, loyalty, dedication in their messages. These words are thrown around daily almost to the point of delirium. Yet it almost seems that coaches don’t hold themselves to the same standards when it comes to their coaching commitments and aren’t called out for it as players are by media outlets. I understand that coaches have dreams to get to a program they have either wanted to coach at or a place they feel they can turn into a winner year in and year out. But in my estimations coaches are nothing more than mercenaries looking to cash in on success they ha at some time in their career. It’s about time people start criticizing these coaches as selfish and all the derogatory names they call players.

Athletes are targets now more than ever in society

rrcrable — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 02:26:26 +0000

In the sporting world athletes have always been held in high regard and marveled for their physical prowess and skills. Athletes have always been a major part of american society, celebrated and revered. In today’s society it seems that athletes are targeted more know than ever before, whether it be by fans, media, or jealous people. Athletes walk around with a large bullseye on the chest and back. Some of it is warranted because athletes are public figures and with that title comes much responsibilty, scrutiny and backlash for their perfomances in their sports and behavior off it. With this age of 24 hour media coverage athletes need to understand they are under a form of constant attack. That form of attack is not only trying to get inflammatory statements but, publicizing their personal lives and how much money they make and what they spend it on. I understand wanting to know about social habits of players and making sure they are conducting themselves properly and with class. The thing I take issue with is why when reporting on athletes the media always seem to find a way to mention their salary and bonuses included in it. How is this relevant to what their reporting? The media very rarely talks about the philanthropic undertakings these athletes participate in, so that is not the media’s angle. All this does is make people pass judgement on people they don’t know. I hear people all the time saying “if I made that much money I would.”. This only creates jealousy and anger towards high paid athletes. With the thought that since their salaries are high they need to fit into a certain invisible box of behavior and do always do and say the right things. This is an impossible standard to try to hold athletes to. People need to first understand athletes are not infallable people who are not impervious to the constant pressures of playing sports and life and sometimes do and say things in the heat of the moment. Later most of the comments athletes wished they didn’t say or phrased better. The same athletes who are loved and admired for their intensity, dedication and competitive nature are often judged for emotional comments made after a game. Then the soundbite is played repeatedly and in many cases taken out of context by various sports news outlets. The media then prodeeds to use the clip as fodder to start a back and forth between teams and/or players. The end result is media using these opportunities to try to exploit athletes and paint a bleak picture of their character.

The much more pressing issue and growing concern with athletes being targets is the growing number of fatalities, attacks, and robberies that have taken place over the past few years. The two most common have been home invasions and night club shootings. You’re going to have those who say the athletes are at fault for what happens at night clubs, because they know what type of crowd will be there they are easily recognizable and will be targeted. So athletes are suppose to now not go out and enjoy themselves or the benefits of their success. What needs to be realized is that no matter where athletes go or what the do they are targets. It is almost to the point where athletes in certain cities need to hire a security detail to aid in their safety. That’s sad that it has come to having to hire personal security personnel as a means to feel safe. Even with that said how often do you hear of other people with money shot or having to endure home envasions? Me personally, I can’t even remember a case. So those that say athletes aren’t targeted, and these unfortunate events are just part of an ever eroding society. They also say athletes shoulnd’t flaunt their riches. Then why is this not a problem with other rich and famous people, the same statements aren’t made about them. You should be able to enjoy your money and success without fear or trepidation of being robbed or killed. I know this isn’t a reality right now, but this isn’t to say it shouldn’t be.

What’s going with the lack of minority head coaching hires in college football

rrcrable — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 03:02:37 +0000

In college football their is a travesty of epic proportions going on has needs to be addressed immediately. The problem is the lack of minority head coaches in college football. Of the 119 division 1A programs around the country only 7 have minority head coaches, this is very disheartening and abhorrently wrong. What is going on? It’s not for the lack of eligible and qualified minority coaches. Anyone with knowledge of the accomplished and deserving pool of coaches would attest that in fact their are numerous minority coaches ready to run a college program and be very successful. Yet of the 13 available jobs so far, only 2 minority candidates where even interviewed. While two of the positions have already been filled without interviewing anyone else. This is a very disturbing trend, it goes back to the ‘good ol boy network’ being in full effect. I fully understand that having a person in place quickly is paramount in keeping current recruits and players already on the team from transferring. Having played college sports when coaches that recruited me left, I felt a bit of uncertainty as to if I wanted to leave as well. I also understand many universities like to pursue coaches with ties to the institution. The people running the universities and athletic programs with power to call the shots may feel more comfortable with someone with previous experience/knowlegde of the university and its standards and procedures. The problem with this is that several candidates not only minorities are continually passed over and overlooked.

The problem lies both with the universities and with the NCAA. Their needs to be in place guidelines at the very least of interviewing minority candidates for each of the available vacancies. I don’t believe this is the end all but it is a beginning. What I’m talking about is already is in place in the NFL it’s called the Rooney Rule. Even with that rule in place minority hires haven’t increased in the NFL. At least minority candidates are being given a chance to display their knowledge, theories and plan to run the program. That is where the NCAA needs to come in and step up and do what is right and fair. The universities already have to adhere to equal employment laws with the teachers, professors and staff around the campus. So why not in the case of hiring coaches? The NCAA needs to institute a form of the Rooney Rule where minorities are at the very least considered and interviewed in person. Now with that said universities know if they are going to fire a coach or a coach is going to leave for another job in most cases well ahead of time. So this shouldn’t really be an issue. Now to those who say well if they have their man already in line and they are going after that person because that was their target hire, then what’s the harm then at least hearing and seeing others. If the candidate they want is feeling the same and wants to be their guy, their is no harm done. If the universities doesn’t adhere to the rule you penalize the university with scholarship loss or a monetary fine. This would help to insure that the universities are operating above board. This is not too much to ask or even demand out of universities and the NCAA.

Hip-Hop and the problem america has with it

rrcrable — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:09:54 +0000

Hip-Hop started as a way of young impoverished minorities voicing what was going on in their neighborhoods and lives. Hip-Hop was seen as a fad a renegade type of music, many questioned the longevity it would have. Yet it’s arguably as strong as it has ever been. Hip-Hop has had dirt thrown its grave several times and blamed for a lot of what goes on with today’s youth and the supposed negative culture manifested by it. Hip-Hop catches the brunt of its criticism from those who believe it is changing the moral and social compass of its listeners to the detriment of society. I find this absurd what people are complaing about in hip-hop is very much a social problem, the things that are talked about are actual events that go on regularly in the neighborhoods. People need to first realize and understand that these societal ills that are talked about were brought on by racism and classism. So to blame someone for being in a way a reporter of the ‘hood news’ is crazy. Do people feel the same when they watch the evening news and see all of the harmful and disgusting things going on in america. Of course they don’t they say reporters are just doing their jobs. Like they say perception is reality. The perception is that Hip-Hop is devisive and teaches people to rebel against the norms of society. It is also perceived that it glorifies, guns, drugs, money, and demeans women only showing and talking about them in sexual ways. The reality is that america actually loves all of these aforementioned things you can look at commercials, popular sitcoms, talk radio, movies, billboards. They all have elements of what is being talked about in hip-hop, yet aren’t being singled out as hip-hop is. America is a society that loves violent movies, raunchy sitcoms, and now more than ever reality shows. That’s what hip-hop is reality how more real can you get it’s reality at its finest. The notion is that television and movies don’t have the same affect on people as music does. How do you even begin to quantify that. You can look at all of the copycat crimes that have taken place throughout the years and that’s has a direct correlation to people seeing it on the news and movies. You can look at fashion trends or all of the fad diets that seem to change week to week and are said to be the best thing for you, judging your appearence and what you want to feel and look like. All of these can be found in just about any store. Nevertheless hip-hop is seen as a large reason for the moral and social decay of this country. No one blames all the horror and gore movies. Just about any genre of entertainment depending on what you like is available to you in this country, few are viewed as more deplorable than hip-hop.

There are some things about hip-hop I don’t like, but that has to do with the record label. The record label decides what music they will put out, and a lot of the music they decide to promote is laden with sex, money, drugs and partying. I don’t necessarily have a problem with the content of the music, because that is what goes on in society and several other genres have the same content. The problem lies in the fact that there are many rappers that have a lot more positive content whether it be education, spirituality, or trials and tribulations of life and how to deal with it. These rappers mostly go unheard or are forced to go the underground route to get their music out. The reason for this is that record companies are not in the business of losing money, so they many times put music out to feed the masses their seemingly insatiable appetite for money, sex, drugs, and partying. So detractors of hip-hop need to understand that a lot of music that is pushed and put out is for those very reasons. As a whole hip-hop has been a very good thing it has created thousands of jobs that didn’t exist before. You have artists that can now provide better lives for themselves and their families. It has inspired countless amount of our youth to aspire to do things with their lives they might not thought as possible. Many hip-hop artists have started their own record companies, their own clothing lines and apparel. They have been used endorse several Fortune 500 companies products. So with knowing that how can hip-hop be devisive?

If hip-hop is so destructive why is it so prevalent in american society, no more so than in marketing and advertising. Ten years ago most of advertising was jingles and companies using their brand name to sell the products. Now more hip-hop songs, hip-hop themes and dancing are used to sell products. You can even go in sports events and see the same thing, more hip-hop music is used more now to get the crowd involved and pumped up. All of the teams various dance teams dance to hip-hop songs, the timeouts or filled with hip-hop music. No one seems to dislike hip-hop then. Rock and roll used to be seen in the same light and in some cases still may be, but as a whole has been seen as more accepted by society. You no longer see demonstrations and protests to rock and roll anymore, so hopefully in the near future hip-hop will be given the same type of treatment. 70% of hip-hop is bought by white america maybe that’s the big fuss. White america doesn’t want their youth influenced by an overwhelmingly minority group of people. They see hip-hop artists as people they don’t want their children to idolize or aspire to be like. It also seems like the word hip-hop is used describe things people don’t like(tatoos,hairstyles,clothing,speech,attitude). It like that’s their politically correct way to say black culture, when in actuality it is very derogatory. Hip-hop is music, a way of expresing yourself lyrically. I hope people can see hip-hop for what it is just another form of entertainment that can be enjoyed by its listeners. If you don’t like hip-hop you don’t have to listen to it simple as that. People need to stop being so quick to judge things they don’t fully understand

Race and the problems with having an open discussion about it

rrcrable — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:12:14 +0000

Race continues to be a major issue in america whether people want to acknowledge it or not. People are so afraid of it, if not wanting to be politically correct about the the subject. The true harm and reality of race and race relations doesn’t come into the proper light. Race won’t be dealt with properly until people aren’t so afraid of talking about it and understanding it is still very prevalent. Until then the subject of race and race relations is openly talked about it won’t be understood and dealt with properly. And we as a nation will never understand how to correct this. There is such a sensitivty when you begin to talk about race and race relations by all parties involved, it’s hard to get to the core of the problem. You can’t have any discussion without first realizing the horrible atrocities minorities have sufferd through in this country and the stigma that carries with it. Not saying that minorities haven’t made huge advancements financially and status wise in this country because they have. The problem is that minorities are still viewed as not equal in today’s society. You can take any walk of life and apply this theory, politics, workplace, sports, and intellectuals. You can pick up a newspaper in any metropolitian area and see this in action. Minorities are mostly shown in a negative light whether it be in the disproprtionate amount of minorities in the correctional systems or how minorities are viewed and portrayed in the sports world. You can see clear evidence in the Barry Bonds situation and Bill Belichick situation both reveled in their repective sports and both have been accused of being cheats, yet Bonds faces constant criticism and many want his accomplishments marked with an asterik. Also this is seen in police brutality and misconduct invloving minorities and the selective prosecution of minorities as opposed to whites. The police shootings in Cincinnatti and New York, the Jena case in Louisiana. What is the motivating factor behind that. I feel a lot has to do with the media which is 95% white and caters to their audience, and perpetuates stereotypes. Not to say they are totally to blame, because they aren’t. People still can do their own research and don’t have to spoon fed information pushing a certain agenda or ideas.
The problem also exists in minority communties where minorities believe they don’t have an equal chance at the same type of lifestyle as whites. In minority communties accepting the satus quo as they believe it to be is widely accpeted. In too many cases minorities are told they are equal but really should be told seperate not equal creating the glass ceiling theory. You can see what america has to offer but you can’t get there. The same opportunities aren’t afforded to minorities, studies have been done on numerous occasions to validate this. The problem is that minorities haven’t been unchanging in their demands of equality which is a right of the Constituion and Bill of Rights. I guess when you see repeated occurences of not being seen on the same playing field as the powers that be takes a toll on one’s psyche. In no means am I excusing this, because you look around the world and you see so much civil unrest this is the reason why. People around the world will fight and do what they feel is necessary to gain equal status as those in power in their respective countires. What happened to all the civil rights activists disciples from the 1960s and 1970s? The problem is in minority communities they are judged unfairly and torn down sometimes it is justified in others cases it is not. Minorities need to realize that there will never be a perfect leader and spokesperson for them, but they can’t continually tear down those who try to step up and take on this daunting task of gaining equality for all.
Until all the issues with race and race relations are put on the table openly the situation will never get any better. The people who are in power are scared of losing power and this frightens them beyond belief, that is the main obstacle. So once again I utter the phrase seperate but not equal. So until minorities are resolute and demand change and equality it will move at a snails pace. Minorities need to not buy into theory that things can’t change and be more steadfast in their fight for equality. Also people need to understand power is never given it is taken, so if those in power don’t believe you are willing to go to the mat about being treated equally across the board, minorities won’t be taken seriously.

Shaq, D-Wade, and Kobe the saga continues…..

rrcrable — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 03:02:10 +0000

Kobe was and maybe is still seen as the bane of superstars players in the NBA. Part of his disfavor has to do with the sexual assault case he had a couple years ago in Colorado, but the main source of his current dissatisfaction around the NBA and in the public’s general opinion is that he is the one that is blamed for the breakup of the L.A. Lakers. Kobe allegedly told management it was Shaq or him. At the time Kobe had all the leverage since he was a free agent, and that’s why it is widely believed he dismantled the team. Needless to say the Lakers chose Kobe. He and Shaq have always had a tumultuous relationship going back many years. Shaq was the poster child of the NBA from the middle of the 1990′s through 2003, he could do no wrong he was beloved by almost everyone. Shaq though did have to share a piece of the spotlight each passing year with an ever improving Kobe and you could always see the undertone of what was going on. Kobe wanted to stand on his own merit and talents and not be Shaq’s sidekick. Kobe reknowned for his work ethic and dedication to his craft, while Shaq has always been known to come into the season and play his way into shape. More times than not Shaq would create for himself lingering injuries because he didn’t keep himself in shape and cost the Lakers some wins during that span as well. Kobe chastised and questioned Shaq’s commitment to winning and coming in shape every year, this created an even larger rift with the two players. All of this came to a head the summer the Lakers were humiliated in the NBA Finals by the Detroit Pistons and blame for this debacle was thrown back and forth between the two mega stars.
Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat and vowed to get into shape and win another championship. He and Dewayne Wade the star player the Miami Heat did so the their second year together. Now here it is the beginning of their fourth season together Shaq’s work ethic and commitment are called into question again. This time by Pat Riley and more importantly Dewayne Wade. The same person Wade who Shaq likened to Micheal Corleone as the person who was going to be the succesor to the godfather, of course Shaq referring to himself. Shaq has yet to comment on what was said. That’s the strange thing almost everytime Kobe challenged him in the media Shaq responded vociferously, by letting everyone know the Lakers were his team and that he was the captain of the ship. Also using the media has always been Shaq”s method to voice his displeasure with diiferent things. In this current instance nothing, not even a one liner from Shaq which Shaq is famous for was uttered. That has led me to wonder why when Kobe did the same thing as D Wade did, Kobe was seen as stepping out of line and was scorned repeatedly. Kobe Blamed for the break up of a possible dynasty. I could only come up with a couple of things as why Wade isn’t getting piled on, one that D Wade is a media darling right now and the other D Wade is relatively new on the scene and people are always enamored by the new thing on the block. Now I wonder are the same people who tried to destroy Kobe’s integrity now going to come out and begin to rebuild what they were trying to dismantle. Or are they going to do what they do in most cases which is turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the matter.
It is now clear that the Lakers and Kobe were right Shaq’s is not intrinsically motivated to be the very best he can be. Kobe has proven time and time again that he will continually work on deficiences in his game and try to be the best he can possibly be. The Lakers as an organization while struggling now aren’t on the hook for the massive contract Shaq was looking which he found in Miami. The Heat are now stuck with an aging big man with diminishing skills and a insufficient work ethic to sustain his play from previous years. The whole while Kobe is still seen as a malcontent and never truly given credited for all the work he has put in on his game over the years to be the best. Compared to Shaq who is still the toast of the town down in Miami. I wonder how long it will last before Shaq goes into Kobe mode on Wade and his ego breaks up another team.

Barry Bonds

rrcrable — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 02:42:09 +0000

Hate him or love him Barry Bonds is the greatest baseball player of all-time. Yeah I said it the best that has ever done it. Baseball players are ranked and evaluated by statistics, and his far exceeds anyone who who has played the game bar none. He has seven MVP awards, 14 all-star appearences, 8 Golden glove awards, 12 Silver slugger awards(best hitter at his position in the league), and every other statistical category cirtics, analysts, GMs, people use to evaluate playes he ranks up in top ten(in most cases top 5) with the exception of career batting average and total hits. He should be celebrated be all as the best ever, especially this generation with the opportunity we have had to see several of his marvelous feats. Barry Bonds is the most feared hitter of all-time. How many more hits and homeruns might he have hit if he wasn’t walked as often as he has been throughout his career(The most walks all-time). Yet he is mired in an ongoing case of using performance enhancing drugs, cheating on taxes, and lying to A federal grand jury about his knowledge of using performance enhancing drugs. Here in lies the great debate steroids/performance enhancing drugs were not illegal in baseball until two years ago they had a very soft policy on them, in fact use of amphetamines was in common use in clubhouses across baseball. The fact of the matter is to try and persecute him and say his records or tainted is gutless and ignorant. He is being attacked so viciously because he does not care for the media and is sometimes indifferent with some of his teammates. That is the only reason he being constatly butchered by media types is because they don’t like him and they the know with the times we now live in they can paint him as a malcontent, mercurial player that cheated to attain his lofty numbers. They call this the “Steroid Era” and Barry Bonds is top dog in the portrayal of this. Let’s be real he hasn’t even tested positive one time for performance enhancers, while several others have and they aren’t under this type of constant scrutiny. Why is it now that the federal government is coming after him, now that known cheaters and liars Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and Jason Giambi aren’t on the baseball radar any more. The only reason Giambi is still even around is because of the massive contract he has that is guaranteed. If you look at Barry Bonds career numbers they are in line with what his output has been his whole career, with the exception of the home run total in 2001 which was 24 more than he had hit any other season. Yet no one questions Brady Anderson’s 1996 season or Bret Boone’s number total between 2001-2003. I can go on and on with examples of number spikes, yet none are broken down and bantered about as Bonds are. A lot of this I feel is racially motivated, look at Hank Aaron and how he was treated when he was closing in on Babe Ruth’s hallowed 714. Constant death threats on him and his family, people openly saying he isn’t the homerun king and wouldn’t acknowledge him as such. Now look at how he is praised and held with such high reverance for standing against Barry Bonds and saying he would not attend Bond’s games as he closed in on his record homerun total, because he didn’t feel it was legitimate. The same man who was persecuted beyond believe for records he broke during and shortly after the civil rights movement, now is doing the work of those who horrifically did him the same way. The bottom line is that people because don’t care for Barry they don’t want to recognize how great of a player he is, and especially because he is black man doing this not sucking up to people and not being who they want him to be. It’s a shame in this country with all the advances we have made we still can’t get past the color of a person’s skin.

What use to be Notre Dame football.

rrcrable — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:13:12 +0000

One thing you could almost always count on every college football season was a very competitive Notre Dame football team, not so anymore. Notre Dame is currently 1-9 with the humiliating lopsided losses piling up. Whos’s to blame? You could look at the very tough schedule, since they belong to no conference they can play any team they want. What team can afford not to if asked by play Notre Dame it’s a big payday for the school and you get national exposure. You can say the academic standards are holding the team back with restrictions on admittance to the school. This definitely has affected the team but on the other hand Notre Dame has had one of the highest graduation rates in college football over the last 20-25 years, and had successful teams. Another factor is Notre Dame was and still is the only team with a national television contract, but the fact of the matter is that most college teams are on television now. The allure of being the only program that was on television every week is gone. The single most important factor is the head coach Charlie Weis who is in charge of teaching and leading these young men. He has failed miserably not only was he hailed as a savior and breath of fresh air for the program. He having won two Super Bowls as offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, he was thought to be an ‘offensive genius’ his offense this year is anemic to put it mildly. The productive offenses he has had where with players he did not recruit while at Notre Dame. He has had two top ten recruiting classes in his three years and yet his teams are devoid of speed and athleticism. He then rubs people and his players the wrong way with his arrogance and aloofness. He needs to go period. Notre Dame has set the precedent for firing coaches after three years with Ty Willingham, so there is no excuse for not firing Weis. They have comparable win/loss records, both haven’t won bowl games, but Willingham was loved by his players and widely respected as a coach and person, Weis only as a coach in the NFL. The major problem I have is Weis is trying to run the program how they ran things in New England, that doesn’t work with young men. They need to be built up and a family environment needs to be created, not some type of environmrnt where you have a guy coming off like someone who thinks he knows everything and doesn’t know why players he coaches don’t get it. Notre Dame isn’t without some blame as well they gave Charlie Weis a ten year contract, after two years this is completely unheard of worth around 3-4 million annually. So now Notre Dame is on the hook for his contract, so a buyout is financial insanity, so he won’t be fired but he definitely should be. Remember Notre Dame you did this to yourselves.

Being “Great” in sports

rrcrable — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:10:07 +0000

The term great is thrown around so much these days in reference to players, coaches, teams, organizations that it is losing its meaning. Great means if you look it up endowed with extraordinary powers; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; strong; powerful; mighty; noble; as, a great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher. So how is it we live in a society where so many people athletes, coaches, organizations are great but we hardly see tangible evidence. Of course you can look at numbers and compare generations, but let’s be real none of the games or teams are played or run the same as the past. Now it is how much money a player can make as a player and the same goes for the organization. In the past it was about winning games and championships that is how you earned greatness, not by having a good game or season. The term great is too loosely thrown out to anyone that has a nice stretch of games, to be a great player you need to have a body of work to validate that statement. The media is mostly to blame they are the ultimate bandwagon people one minute your great a future hall of famer, the next get the new guy in there he looked great in practice. People evaluate athletes, coaches, and organizations too much in the here and now instead of evaluating the body of work.

It’s hard being a black QB

rrcrable — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 03:25:02 +0000

It’s crazy to look around the NFL and only see a handful of black QBs, and how they are nitpicked unmercifully. None more so than Donovan McNabb. I mean all he has done is break or close to breaking all of the Philadelphia Eagles passing records. He has a better winning percentage of all QBs playing today other than Tom Brady, with an organization known for being cheap. He has had only one legitimate WR in his time as a Eagle, Terrell Owens and that was statistically his best year, other than that he’s had to throw to second rate receivers . Yet he almost being run out of Philly by fans and media questioning his ability. Where would they be as a team and organization without him running that team. Then you look at his white counterparts if any had half the success he’s had no one would be booing them(Carson Palmer, Matt Hasselback, Marc Bulger,) to name a few. They are all thought to be better than McNabb yet he has better numbers and WINS more games with less talent. When will black QBs get a fair shake hopefully I will be alive to see it. It’s a shame you have an elite QB it seems no one appreciates his accomplishments 4 straight NFC Title game appearances, a Super Bowl appearance, several Pro Bowls, and still no respect. You can take Brett Favre who’s been almost holding Green Bay hostage flirting year in and year out with retirement and his play the last 4-5 years has been very average(this year excluded). Yet he is not being run out of Green Bay or even ridiculed on the same level as McNabb when his reckless play has led to numerous losses. Favre is held on a pedestal and seems to always escape any damaging ridicule. Peyton Manning just this past week threw six interceptions and it was blown off and seen as an abberation. No one was calling for his job or wanting to question his abilty. He was though without his best wide receiver and tight end, but did have his soon to be pro bowl running back and his other receiver who is an all-pro. But everyone points to the fact that he did not have all of his weapons at his disposal for his performance. All I can say is welcome to the world of McNabb. Peyton’s troubles will only be short lived as McNabb’s are a yearly reality. McNabb isn’t the only black QB that’s railroaded, it’s across the board but he seems to be the scapegoat right now. I wonder who is next.