Freedom of the Press

Here's a little excerpt from the week 4 picks over at the prestigious Minnesota newspaper, the Pioneer Press...

"VIKINGS AT TITANS (-3)

Brad Childress benched Tarvaris Jackson in favor of Gus Frerotte because he feels "you've got to have the mentality of a serial killer at quarterback." Upon hearing that, a puzzled Jackson wondered what his coach has against Count Chocula and Cap'n Crunch. Pick: Titans by 4"

Racism is an intriguing thing to me, especially in America. I've found that in this country, rather than being able to openly mock blacks by making monkey noises during sporting events (care to visit Spain?), we are able to subtly achieve the same sentiment without actually knowing that we are being racist.

Aside from calling him stupid (ironically within the confines of a less than intelligent joke), which isn't inherently a qualification for racist thought, this author's first cereal reference is to "Count Chocula." Say what you will, but that is purely racial. And what I find most fascinating, is that this guy probably didn't even spend the time to consult his subconscious after re-reading, nor his editor.

It's a wild country that we live in, and it's people like this that will be too oblivious to vote to fix our lovely nation - you know, that nation where we can write shit like this.

Unbelievable..But is it really?

Here is a message I left my yahoo fantasy league.

In Acknowledging Racism in Football, I will...

Posted by: sam h (TJACK=TITLE)

Message ID: 1 Sep 17 1:55pm | Reply | Post | <>

Leave Tarvaris Jackson as my starter for the rest of the fantasy season. Brad Childress should be held accountable for some of the worst coaching in modern history, not Tarvaris.

I lose with the sport.

-Sam

That is all there is to be said on the subject. It will be difficult for me to love the Vikings from here on out. And good luck in the pocket Gus.

Week 2

I don't have many words for what occurred earlier today. I just went for a long run/walk in an attempt to figure it out and sweat out the beer consumed in cahoots with this depression.

People will blame, and boo T-Jack. That will not stop. And that is what disheartened me the most about today, having to listen to the home fans boo a kid whose fault it isn't. I don't even want to begin to get into the racial implications of this non-stop "he can't" business. It plainly isn't the fact that he can't, it's just that he is "not allowed to." Childress and Bevel lost us this game in full.

Do you want to say that it was a few dropped passes, blown pass interference calls? maybe. Do you want to say that it was 1 OF THE 4 bad passes Tarvaris threw? Yes, you probably do want to say that. It's really easy to blame the black quarterback for not being smart enough to read defenses, or for not having that soft, white touch on his passes. When he hits the letters of his receivers on slant routes, or throws a pretty pass into the endzone, or throws two quick passes to get us into field goal range with 25 seconds left in the first half, do you notice?

Explain to me how a quarterback is supposed to "read a defense" when you run a big I set with 1 wideout, that wideout being bobby wade, and either run the ball, or run a bootleg? You can't. So when Tarvaris dumps the ball out to "I made the team?" Tahi for 3 yards on a game deciding 3rd and 7, and you boo, please understand who you should be yelling at.

I'll give you a hint. It's not the black guy.