If Brian Flores can sue the NFL for its racist hiring practices when it comes to selecting coaches, then Gus Johnson should be allowed to sue television networks for whitewashing the NFL broadcasting booth. With preseason games and Week 1 officially in the NFL’s rearview mirror, fans have had a chance to see every lead broadcasting duo that will call games this season. ESPN has Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen are at FOX. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo are still at CBS. Amazon has Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit. And NBC has Cris Collinsworth and Mike Tirico. Not a single Black man in sight. If you’re in the know, then that last line made you chuckle. If you aren’t, you think that line is omitting Tirico. Well, despite his skin color or what he would be listed as on a census or police report, Tirico doesn’t identify as Black. “Why do I have to check any box?” the self-proclaimed “Italian guy from Queens,” told the New York Times in 2017. In 1991, the Blackest Italian of all time told the Syracuse Post-Standard that he wasn’t sure what race he was, although we can all see that he’s Black. “When people go around and say, ‘You are black’ — well, I don’t encourage it, but by the same token I don’t back off of it, “ he explained. “If you want to call me that, that’s fine. But, you know, in my whole family, there’s nobody I know who is black.” Since Tirico doesn’t consider himself Black, NBC shouldn’t count him as a minority hire in their diversity numbers. So, going by his logic, only white men, Tony Romo, and Italians are being allowed to lead broadcast booths this season. I’m mentioning Romo here because people forget that his name is Antonio Ramiro Romo, in the same way that Ted Cruz likes to act like his real name isn’t Rafael Edward Cruz. Cruz was born in Canada and his father is Cuban. Romo — like Cameron Diaz — has Latino heritage. So for the sake of cultural awareness and sensitivity, in giving him his own category. But back to Tirico. As frightening, and funny, as Tirico’s self-identity issues may be, they are an example of just how racist the broadcast booth always has been. Earlier this year when Drew Brees left NBC after a stint that exposed just how bad he is at discussing football on television, the network replaced a white dude with another white dude when they picked former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett to fill his spot on “Football Night in America.” Fortunately, that show has some diversity. It’s hosted by Maria Taylor — a Black woman — and former NFL head coach Tony Dungy — a Black man — is also part of the team, despite his affinity for constantly being used as a prop by white bigots. Oh, and if you’re wondering if things are better in the college ranks, they’re not. While Gus Johnson serves as the No. 1 play-by-play man for FOX Sports, check out those Saturday morning pregame shows and take note of the lack of color. If it wasn’t for Desmond Howard on ESPN’s “College Gameday” and Reggie Bush on FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” those sets would be all white, too. What does it say about a country whose favorite game is football, and at that game’s highest level, the men coaching on the field and the ones who bring it to you over television are overwhelmingly white in a sport that’s made up of a majority of Black players? It’s the ultimate insult to Black people and our intelligence. It says we’re only good enough to be entertaining, and lack the mental capacity to not only teach the game we dominate, but aren’t capable of analyzing it for audiences. From players kneeling in the NFL and college, to sports tackling racial and social issues, talking about the game now demands that the talent in the booth have a grasp on things bigger than football. But, as we’ve seen — especially since 2016 — it often leads to multiple gaffes and apologies. There’s a simple fix to all of this, but it requires something that’s historically been a tough sell — hiring Black people. From the sidelines to the broadcast booth, the whitewashing that occurs in football is as natural as a first down. And despite how some will say that things are better than they’ve ever been, it doesn’t mean it’s a good excuse for them not being better than they should be. Relatedfootball sportsbookslegit nfl betting sitescollege football sportsbookslegit nba betting sitesbest mlb betting sitesnhl betting sitesbetting sites for ufcbets on soccersafe copa america betting sites
Related Posts
Real Madrid s French midfielder Lassana Diarra has claimed to have learnt nothing from Arsene Wenger during his short-lived time at Arsenal.
In an interview with El Pais newspaper, Diarra said: I have the impression that I never played at Arsenal. If you hadn t reminded me of it, I would have forgotten about it. It is something erased from my head.
Asked about any influence Wenger had on him, Diarra said: Me? Nothing. With Wenger I learnt nothing. Well, he only taught me how to doubt everything.
I played 15 matches. The relationship I had with him was not good.
Wenger never spoke to me until I told him I was leaving. He spoke with the others but not me.
Diarra signed for Arsenal from Chelsea in September 2007 but transferred to Portsmouth in …
Virgil van Dijk will start for Liverpool in the Club World Cup final against Flamengo in Doha on Saturday.
The Netherlands star sat out the 2-1 semi-final win over Monterrey after falling ill, meaning Jordan Henderson started at centre-back alongside Joe Gomez.
Van Dijk returns for the match at Khalifa International Stadium, though, while Trent Alexander-Arnold also comes back into the starting line-up at right-back in place of James Milner.
Henderson moves into midfield, with Adam Lallana dropping to the bench, while Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane come in for Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri.
This will be the second competitive meeting between Liverpool and Flamengo, the Brazilians having won 3-0 in the previous meeting in the Inter-Continental Cup fin…
Bookmaker: bet365
The 2021 Gold Cup is in full flow right now with the nations being dwindled down to just four for the semi-finals. All of the remaining sides will feel as if they re all in with a good chance of actually winning the trophy, but as we all know, international football is often as unpredictable as it gets. Today, we re going to be taking a look at what should be an unpredictable battle between Qatar and United States.
Qatar
The 2022 World Cup hosts may have to deal with quite a bit of controversy next year, but in the present day, they re a nation on the rise. They just seem to be thriving under the spotlight whenever they re given the chance to do so and it really is quite fascinating to watch. They re the reigning Asian Cup champions, they re scoring g…
Slowly but surely, Neymar s return to Barcelona appears to be getting closer.
The Paris Saint-Germain star, who is sidelined with an ankle injury, is heavily linked with a return to Camp Nou, two years after his world-record €222million switch to the Ligue 1 giants.
Amid reports of talks between Barca and PSG, steps continue to be taken for a possible return for Neymar.
TOP STORY – NEYMAR S FATHER MEETING WITH BARCA
Neymar s father and his lawyer are set to meet Barcelona representative Andre Cury on Tuesday, according to Esporte Interativo.
The report says Cury, who was involved in Neymar s sale, will put forward Barca s point of view.
If those talks go smoothly, Barcelona would only need to seal negotiations with PSG for a…
Chelsea have the appointment of Frank Lampard as their new manager.
The London Blues parted ways with Maurizio Sarri at the end of the 2018/19 season and reports immediately appeared about the possibility of Lampard returning to the club where he spent the best part of his career.
I am immensely proud to be returning to Chelsea as head coach. Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared, however, my sole focus is on the job in hand and preparing for the season ahead. I am here to work hard, bring further success to the club and I cannot wait to get started, the 41-year-old told the club s official website.
As a player, Lampard joined Chelsea from West Ham back in 2001 and spent 13 illustrious years at Stamford Bridge, winning three Pre…
Inter have announced the departure of head coach Roberto Mancini by mutual agreement amid reports of a fallout with the club hierarchy.
The 51-year-old returned for a second spell as manager at San Siro in November 2014, but has been unable to steer the club back to the Champions League.
The only full season of Mancini s latest spell ended with Inter finishing fourth in Serie A, even though they had sat top as late as January.
The club released a statement on Monday that read: F.C. Internazionale Milano confirms that it has parted company with head coach Roberto Mancini by mutual agreement.
Inter would like to place on record its thanks to Roberto for the work carried out with the team since joining in November 2014.
Last season the club led Ser…
Serie A heavyweights AC Milan have all but confirmed interest in Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini.
Rossoneri sporting director Massimiliano Mirabelli opened up on the Belgian following AC Milan’s win over Fiorentina, claiming that ‘Fellaini could become an important player for us’.
“We know he is not going to renew with United, but it’s difficult to say that we have closed the deal. He has important attributes. We will do something in that role but we are keeping everything in reserve. First we have to secure our signings, then announce them.”, he said.
AC Milan finished the 2017/18 season in sixth place in the standings and will compete in the Europa League next season.
Rossoneri have invested a great deal in squad rebuilding l…
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo denied James Rodriguez is poised to join the LaLiga side, adding there have not been negotiations for the Real Madrid midfielder.
Tipped to move to Napoli throughout the off-season, Atletico have reportedly emerged as the favourites to sign James as the Italian outfit and Madrid struggle to reach an agreement.
James is set to leave Madrid following a two-year loan spell at Bayern Munich, who opted not to make the deal permanent at the end of 2018-19.
Asked about Colombia star James, Cerezo told reporters: Atletico are interested in great players and James is a great player, but from that to he s going to come, there s some distance.
Negotiations? Not that I know of, no.
Time for our traditional pre-s…
Former Marseille coach Rolland Courbis, who has lost appeals against a two-year jail term for accepting transfer bungs between 1997 and 1999, has been taken into custody by police, according to a judicial source.
Courbis, 56, was taken into custody after watching a match at the Velodrome between Marseille and Montpellier, the team that he coached last year.
He was being sought, it s not surprising, said the official, who asked not to be named.
The former Marseille boss was in 2006 handed a three-year jail term, fined 375,000 euros (550,000 dollars) and banned from holding any function related to football for five years over the transfers of 15 players, including that of former France international Christophe Dugarry and former Italy forward Fabrizio Ravanelli.<…
English Premiership club Newcastle United is no longer for sale, owner Mike Ashley said Sunday after failing to find a buyer.
The billionaire sportswear magnate has decided to push ahead with his own plans for the club following a fruitless three-month campaign to find an interested party.
Ashley engaged the services of investment bank Seymour Pierce after deciding to call it a day at St James Park in September following mass protests against his regime in the wake of Kevin Keegan s departure as manager.
Ashley said in a statement on the club s official website: I am happy to end the uncertainty the fans may have had about the future direction of Newcastle United.
I know just how important that is to you.
I have withdrawn Newcastle United fr…