In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, former Standford University running back Toby Gerhart discussed his draft status and making it in the NFL.
This wasn’t your typical run of the mill interview though. He was answering questions about being white.
Sound confused? Well, if you do, you are one of the few unbiased individuals left in this nation.
50 years ago, this nation and the rest of the world for that matter, was struggling with minorities, specificially African-Americans, and their right to be a citizen.
50 years ago, Caucasins dominated politics and sports.
50 years ago, Barack Obama would have been laughed at.
50 years ago, Eldrick Woods would have been turned down at the gate.
However, in case you have been living underneath a rock, this is 2010, not 1960.
As happy as I am about equality in our society, I am disappointed by the media and other patrons doubting the “white guy” playing running back,
The NBA and NFL are sports run by prodominantly African-Americans. However, people lose site of the fact that Caucasins can play with black people.
The days of Jimmy “The Greek” are over. A bookies aren’t coming out saying blacks are better athletes. Blacks are very athletic, however Caucasins aren’t the inferior race.
We are all equal.
Who would have thought that at some point the roles would have been reversed. Just last Saturday, at City Hall in downtown Los Angeles were bumbarded with a Neo-Nazi rally. During the rally, it’s been reported that the “anti-hate” groups were getting violent, while the NSM group remained corgal.
50 years ago, these series of events would have stunned people.
Point is, Toby Gerhart is one of the best athletes in the draft. At 6-foot, 231 pounds, Gerhart registered a 4.50 second 40-yard dash and a 38-inch vertical leap.
Nothing to sneeze at.
“One team I interviewed with asked me about being a white running back,” Gerhart said, in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Michael Silver. “They asked if it made me feel entitled, or like I felt I was a poster child for white running backs. I said, ‘No, I’m just out there playing ball. I don’t think about that.’ I didn’t really know what to say.”
When are we going to be able to live in a society to where, if someones mentioned a individual’s race, we say “who cares.” A NFL scout commented on the issue in Silver’s article.
“He’ll be a great second-round pickup for somebody, but I guarantee you if he was the exact same guy – but he was black – he’d go in the first round for sure,” the scout said. “You could make a case that he’s a Steven Jackson-type – doesn’t have blazing speed but he’s strong and powerful and versatile.”
