Racism: a fine line
Ethan Walker
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Opinion
Last week, ESPN announcer Bob Griese made a comment that caused heads to turn. During a telecast, Griese, who was an NFL quarterback for 14 years and pro football hall of famer, said that Juan Pablo Montoya's absence in the top five NASCAR point standings was due to Montoya being "out for a taco." He apologized at the end of the game and during a half-time show later that night, however, the damage was done: Bob Griese made a racial slur toward the Columbian-born driver.
The odd part is that Montoya himself did not seem to care about the remark. After Sunday's race he was asked how he felt about Griese's comment and said, "Somebody mentioned it to me. I don't really care to tell you the truth. I could say I spent the last three hours eating tacos, but I was actually driving the car." So if the man who was being targeted doesn't mind the slur, should we?
Racism in sports is something that has existed for centuries and continues to exist in present day. Being the first black man to play in Major League Baseball, Jackie Robinson faced racist fans and club owners, not to mention racism and neglect from many of his own teammates. The racism in America has progressed from the Jackie Robinson era to become a very subtle, yet constant threat.
If anyone believes that those times are over for black athletes, they live in a very na've world. Racism in Europe is as bad as it was 50 years ago. Thierry Henry, an African French soccer player who has played for Arsenal and Barcelona, has had bananas thrown at him from the stands and has been called "Black S***" by his own coach.
According to the Associated Press, ESPN has decided to suspend Griese from broadcasting for one game. I don't know for sure if Bob Griese is a racist, but I do know he could have said something worse: So the punishment fits the crime. The question is, where do we draw the line?
I am not condoning Griese's words, they were ill-timed and inappropriate, but what if he had said that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was out of the top five because he was getting a cheeseburger? No one would think twice about it.
Racism is still around in sports and is in almost every facet of our lives. We just need to be careful how we deal with it. It is an incredibly sensitive subject, and if a coach says that his player is "Black S***" he needs to be fired. However, we have all similar jokes similar that Griese made, but in the public spotlight, those would seem extremely inappropriate, so maybe we simply need to lighten up as a society.
The odd part is that Montoya himself did not seem to care about the remark. After Sunday's race he was asked how he felt about Griese's comment and said, "Somebody mentioned it to me. I don't really care to tell you the truth. I could say I spent the last three hours eating tacos, but I was actually driving the car." So if the man who was being targeted doesn't mind the slur, should we?
Racism in sports is something that has existed for centuries and continues to exist in present day. Being the first black man to play in Major League Baseball, Jackie Robinson faced racist fans and club owners, not to mention racism and neglect from many of his own teammates. The racism in America has progressed from the Jackie Robinson era to become a very subtle, yet constant threat.
If anyone believes that those times are over for black athletes, they live in a very na've world. Racism in Europe is as bad as it was 50 years ago. Thierry Henry, an African French soccer player who has played for Arsenal and Barcelona, has had bananas thrown at him from the stands and has been called "Black S***" by his own coach.
According to the Associated Press, ESPN has decided to suspend Griese from broadcasting for one game. I don't know for sure if Bob Griese is a racist, but I do know he could have said something worse: So the punishment fits the crime. The question is, where do we draw the line?
I am not condoning Griese's words, they were ill-timed and inappropriate, but what if he had said that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was out of the top five because he was getting a cheeseburger? No one would think twice about it.
Racism is still around in sports and is in almost every facet of our lives. We just need to be careful how we deal with it. It is an incredibly sensitive subject, and if a coach says that his player is "Black S***" he needs to be fired. However, we have all similar jokes similar that Griese made, but in the public spotlight, those would seem extremely inappropriate, so maybe we simply need to lighten up as a society.
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