Allen Barra on Rush
October 3rd, 2003
I agree with Allen Barra. McNabb is overrated, although Barra seems to think this is primarily because he’s black. I thought it was because he was such a great athlete. So fast and so big, he seemed destined for greatness. But Barra has convinced me that race is at least some of it. Fans have been waiting for the first great black quarterback for a while, who can blame them (and writers) for creating one out of nothing.
Maybe Michael Vick will be the one (please, please, please).
Update: First sentence changed to reflect that Barra changed my mind.
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Um…in a previous post in your blog you stated that McNabb was not that overrated. So which is it?????
Uh, got me. I thought he wasn’t that overrated, but then I saw all the stats. He kinda sucks.
I think he’s overrated, but I think we’ve seen two great black quarterbacks–Warren Moon and Randall Cuningham.
Michael Vick could be one, Steve McNair could be one, and so could Qunicy Carter (too early to tell, I know, but I have to admit to being pretty impressed with him this year).
McNabb is overrated, but he’s still a good quarterback. Warren Moon, though? Absolutely a great quarterback.
I was prepared to argue with someone who said Doug Williams was great. Sure, he won a superbowl, but with the same coach that took Mark Rypien (Mark Rypien!) to greatness.
Hadn’t thought about Moon and Cunningham, though. I don’t think they ever won the big one, but then, neither did Dan Marino.
It’s really too bad Kordell Stewart is so soft in the head. He really was awesome for a season or two.
I don’t think the argument is whether or not McNabb is or isn’t a good quarterback compared to others so much as it is a desire from the public to see a black athlete/coach/quarterback do well. (Sorry for the lack of punctuation).
For many years, in my lifetime starting with tv ads, people have been complaining about a lack of representation of minorities and in particular black (African-American if you will) people. The same can be said and has been repeated in the NFL and all other sports as well where black represention is less. At the current time, teams are fined by the NFL for not interviewing black/minority candidates for coaching vacancies. If that isn’t a desire to see black people or minorities have a larger presence in the league, I don’t know what is.
There aren’t many black quarterbacks and we all know that. There aren’t many white receivers and we all know that too. Maybe, just maybe white quarterbacks are better at being true quarterbacks and maybe Jimmy the Greek was right in the 80′s. In case you don’t know, Jimmy the Greek said that black people are better suited for sports because of their differences in anatomy. He was promptly fired afterward as well. Maybe black quarterbacks supplement their lack of throwing ability with their quickness and agility. If so, that would definitely explain the tendency for black quarterbacks to be better running quarterbacks than passing quarterbacks. This isn’t to say that black quarterbacks will never be good passers or the best passers that ever played the game. It’s definitely possible that a black athlete could put Dan Marino’s or John Elway’s numbers in second place some day. If it does happen, then as Rush Limbaugh said at one time, lose the bone and appreciate the athlete and not the color. In fact, forget the color!
Jimmy the Greek said that blacks were better because as slaves they were bred to be big and strong. He’s right about the breeding part, and possibly right that blacks are better because of genetics, but probably wrong that one led to the other. Most American slaves came from west Africa, where genetically people are bigger, with short muscle fibers and small lungs. This leads to being able to be large, muscular, and explosively fast. Small lungs fill faster, allowing for faster sprints and quick and powerful blocks.
Not all Africans are the same, of course, just like everyone else. Others are suited to long distance running, others to quarterbacking. I don’t think arm strength makes black quarterbacks runners, I think that’s mostly leg strength and agility. If white quarterbacks could run, they would.
I don’t think arm strength makes quarterbacks runners either. However, if you have the strongest arm in the country but tend to have limited accuracy, then you run. That’s the way life is. If you have a weakness, you do what you can to compensate for it. In most cases, black quarterbacks have statistically concentrated less on throwing the ball and more on running the ball. A team needs to have a legitimate throwing threat at quarterback or else the opposing team can primarily defend the run.
Back to Donovan McNabb, he has never been an exceptional quarterback. Merely average. In fact, when compared to Kordell Stewart, McNabb is only slightly better. That says a lot right there. Check ESPN.com stats for that info if you are interested. Further, if everyone agrees that Stewart “sucks”, why isn’t McNabb seen in the same light? It’s because the league wants to see the black guy make it where the black guy may not on average. It would be good for the game while Michael Vick is hurt. There are no more token black candidates left at the QB position, and that is why Rush was right.
Let’s face it, McNabb is no different than Tiger Woods, the Williams sisters, Jackie Robinson, or Marvin Lewis as far as people that the viewing public want to see succeed simply because they are black. To state that, like Rush did, is not racist in the slightest. It’s hypocritical on the part of the black people who spoke out on the issue. They want to believe the McNabb is a truly talented quarterback and not merely making it in the league because of an obvious league desire to see black quarterbacks make it. They don’t want to admit that maybe he shouldn’t be in QB position, and that quotas (which primarily exist outside of the NFL) are alive and well in the NFL.
Hey, great job mentioning Steve McNair and Daunte Culpepper. Did you guys just forget about them or something? They’re definitely “above average”, and I still believe they have room for improvement.
Yea, I guess we did skip Culpepper and McNair. I do really love watching both of them, and I think McNair has real potential since he’s got real leadership skills in addition to physical talent.
Black qb’s arent cerebral. A strong arm & speed isnt what a qb is made for. its for passing. the speed is for the runningbacks.
Leave the damn game alone before you ruin it.
I love the NFL the way it is. its the best.
OK, forget yesterday, where McNabb threw for 240 yards, 2TDs AND rushed for 111. Forget that game.
But recall that game last season when he broke his leg, stayed in the game, passed for 300-plus and four TDs. Screw Allen Barra, that guy doesn’t know jack. Anyone who would try to compare Brad Johnson to McNabb is a joke.
What I don’t get is people who act like black QBs are a relatively new phenom. Hello? Vick, McNair, Cunningham, Culpepper.
Rush was an idiot. Barra may be an even bigger idiot for trying to rationlize backup for Rush’s race-baiting.
Mcnabb is the best Quaterback ever, he just has no supporting cast
Well, that’s a tad hyperbolic. Better than Montana, Elway, Marino, Young? I don’t think so.
McNabb is overrated
McNabb is a beast. He has got to be one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL. Maybe Michael Vick??? Please, he can run but if you can’t throw for over 200 yards you will not be a good QB.