Did anyone watch the HBO show "Real Sports" with host Bryant Gumbel? During the show he does an editorial about the Winter Olympics and this is what he said:
"And finally tonight the Winter Games. Count me among those that don't like 'em and won't watch 'em. In fact, I figure when Thomas Paine said, "These are the times that try men's souls", he must have been talking about the start of another Winter Olympics. Because they are so trying, maybe over the next three weeks we should all try too. Like try not to be incredulous when someone tries to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing.Or try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of Blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. Try not to point out that something's not really a sport if a psuedo-athlete waits in what's called a "kiss and cry area” while some panel of subjective judges decides who won. And try to blot out all logic when announcers and sports writers pretend to care about the luge, the skeleton, the biathlon, and all those other events they don't understand and totally ignore for all but three weeks every four years. Face it, these Olympics are little more than a marketing plan to fill space and sell time during the dreary days of February. So, if only to hasten the arrival of the day they're done, and we can move on to March Madness, for God's sake, let the Games begin."
I am offended by Mr. Gumbel's attack upon white athletes. He believes that since there are hardly any black athletes present, we must be watching second rate athletes.
His thought process, in addition to being disgustingly racist, also seems to be omnipresent throughout the mainstream media. Turn on any sporting event and you can hear the announcers praise black athletes for their "athleticism" and praise whites for their "high energy motor" or "competetive spirit". This prejudice against white athletes is becoming so overwhelming that I want to present a question or two to the board.
1.) Since baseball in this country is comprised of mostly white athletes, 90% or more at the High School and College level, should we look at baseball the same way Bryant Gumbel looks at the Winter Olympics. That is, concede that the game of baseball would be played at a higher level if only the black athlete were more involved? Or should we say that there used to be a lot more blacks involved at all levels of baseball and natural selection has brought about the numbers we see today?
2.) Is it a handicap to be a white athlete in this country? Will a player in baseball be given a different amount of opportunity than another player solely based on his skin color? In other words, are Colleges and owners of teams trying to fill racial quotas when they field teams?
My son has an interesting situation. His dad is white and his mom is Hispanic. He is a Junior in H.S. with a 3.95 GPA to go with a poptopop of 2.02 timed at a showcase last summer. He is a power hitter who adds offense to the catcher position. How do the posters here see colleges responding to his application depending on whether he puts down Hispanic or Cuacasian on the application?
If anyone has any real life stories along these lines I would be interested to hear them.
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