03-14-2017, 02:59 PM
(03-14-2017, 02:05 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: I don't care if a player is black, white, or mauve with purple spots. If they can play, bring them to Cincinnati! While I believe God created one race -- human -- I can see justifiable pride within one's own ethnic group so long as it doesn't lead to racism or a false sense of supremacy. With that being said, would the impact have been as great in 1936 had Jesse Owens been white? No! It bothered Hitler immensely that a black man blew apart his delusion of Aryan supremacy. Look at all the talented Asian women on the LPGA Tour now; I'm happy their culture is now known for athleticism, not just for intellect!
Back to football: Our team is the legacy of Paul Brown who brought minorities into the game when doing so wasn't popular. Professional athletics is the great equalizer and to see a white running back succeed shouldn't be so unusual. After all, in the recent past, several were extremely successful like John Riggins, Larry Czonka, and Jim Kiick.
Agree with everything you say. I don't think rooting for white guys to succeed means you want black players to fail. I don't care one bit if the team is all black. I just want a winner. I'm just saying that - while I don't really do it myself - I can understand white folks wanting to see white players succeed for reasons that have nothing to do with racism.
As someone else said, you should be able to find more recent examples than Riggins, Czonka and Kiick though.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
