ESPN commentator Rob Parker questions RG III's blackness.

[zulater]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...es-not-really/

Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III recently said in a recent interview that he didn’t want to be defined as an African-American quarterback. One ESPN commentator says that raises questions about Griffin.

In fact, ESPN’s Rob Parker said Thursday morning on First Take that as an African-American, he has a lot of questions about Griffin.

“My question is, and it’s just a straight, honest question: Is he a brother, or is he a cornball brother,” Parker said. “He’s not really. He’s black, he does his thing, but he’s not really down with the cause. He’s not one of us. He’s kind of black, but he’s not really like the kind of guy you really want to hang out with.”

Parker said he wants to know more about Griffin’s personal life before he can accept Griffin as authentically black.

“I want to find about him,” Parker said. “I don’t know because I keep hearing these things. We all know he has a white fiancee. Then there was all this talk about he’s a Republican, which there’s no information at all. I’m just trying to dig deeper into why he has an issue. Because we did find out with Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods was like, ‘I’ve got black skin, but don’t call me black.’ So people wondered about Tiger Woods.”

Asked by fellow panelist Skip Bayless about the fact that Griffin braids his hair, Parker said that’s an aspect of Griffin that he approves of.

“That’s different, because, to me, that’s very urban,” Parker said. “Wearing braids is, you’re a brother. You’re a brother if you’ve got braids.”

Wow! Just wow! Can this guy ( Parker) be more of an idiot?

[fansince'76]

Yeah, nothing racist about that diatribe at all.

[steeldawg]

I heard the audio on this and man was it uncomfortable.

[Count Steeler]

If he was white he would be out of a job today. I don't know why the color of your skin allows you to get away with being a racist moron.

[stillers4me]

that's some of the stupidest stuff I've ever heard.

[Chidi29]

Honestly, here's probably the worst thing of it all. And this is just an (educated) guess on my part.

Obviously, First Take is just ratings driven. The goal is to top what the other guy said with something even more outrageous. Skip doesn't believe his own arguments. He says what he says because we talk about him and it puts money in his bank account. Stephen A. Smith is just like him. Maybe not as "out there" with his claims but a guy that gives you ratings. Remember, he used to be just a basketball guy. Now he's asked about every topic.

So when you have a show that is based on this model, you inevitably get this off-the-wall, "he said what??" comments. And ESPN is probably eating this up. They probably told Parker to say something totally outrageous so everyone can talk about it. Like PFT points out, they replayed that segment on the condensed version later in the afternoon.

ESPN has no integrity and no morality to stop this snowball effect. They care about the ratings and by God, this is good television. Let a black man (so he can't get in trouble) question another man's blackness, the rest of the media will go crazy over it! ESPN does not know how to handle not being the center of attention. When that starts to fade, they have to stir the pot again.

[zulater]

Another panelist on the show, Stephen A. Smith, said he wasn’t comfortable with how Parker had framed his argument.

“First of all, let me say this: I’m uncomfortable with where we just went,” Smith said when asked to respond to Parker. “RG3, the ethnicity or the color of his fiancee is none of our business, it’s irrelevant, he can live his life in whatever way he chooses. The braids that he has in his hair, that’s his business, that’s his life, he can live his life. I don’t judge someone’s blackness based on those kinds of things. I just don’t do that. I’m not that kind of guy.”

When Steven A. smith comes across as the voice of reason you know you've gone yard!

[Edman]

I know why RGIII isn't "black" enough to this fool.

He doesn't look like and speak like a damned fool and actually has some sense of maturity, humility and self-respect. That's what he means by RGIII not being "black" enough.

Like it or not, this is a rampant hidden attitude among blacks. If you're not a blithering jackass who came from the streets, and can actually speak coherent English, you're not one of "them".

[43Hitman]

I heard the audio on this and man was it uncomfortable.

Just reading it made me feel uncomfortable.

[zulater]

Imagine a star white player with dreads, a black girlfriend, and a liberal agenda, and a you had a sports commentator question his "whiteness" citing those very things. How many minutes from the time he got those questions on air until he was shitcanned? My guess 5 at most.

- - - Updated - - -

I know why RGIII isn't "black" enough to this fool.

He doesn't look like and speak like a damned fool and actually has some sense of maturity, humility and self-respect. That's what he means by RGIII not being "black" enough.

Like it or not, this is a rampant hidden attitude among blacks. If you're not a blithering jackass who came from the streets, and can actually speak coherent English, you're not one of "them".

Ding ding ding, we have a winner!

[zulater]

Update

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ry/rumor-mill/

Several hours after an ESPN commentator questioned whether Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is authentically black, ESPN said those comments were out of line.

In a statement released by an ESPN spokesman, the network said, “The comments were inappropriate and we are evaluating our next steps.”

It will be interesting to see what those “next steps” are, and whether they lead to the commentator who made the comments, Rob Parker, to lose his job. When another ESPN commentator, Rush Limbaugh, made racially charged comments about another quarterback, Donovan McNabb, that ended up being the last day that Limbaugh appeared on ESPN’s NFL pregame show.

In Parker’s case, the comments would seem to be even further outside the bounds of what’s acceptable than Limbaugh’s claim that McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to promote a black quarterback. Parker went so far as to say that being engaged to a white woman somehow made Griffin “not really” black. That’s way, way outside the bounds of what’s generally considered an acceptable part of the discourse.

[Dwinsgames]

makes you wonder about the entire system / process and how Network execs come to hire 6 figure reporters that are that pathetic and stupid all at the same time ....

where do I get an application is what I meant to say

[salamander]

Wow... just wow...

[tube517]

Update

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ry/rumor-mill/

Several hours after an ESPN commentator questioned whether Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is authentically black, ESPN said those comments were out of line.

In a statement released by an ESPN spokesman, the network said, “The comments were inappropriate and we are evaluating our next steps.”

It will be interesting to see what those “next steps” are, and whether they lead to the commentator who made the comments, Rob Parker, to lose his job. When another ESPN commentator, Rush Limbaugh, made racially charged comments about another quarterback, Donovan McNabb, that ended up being the last day that Limbaugh appeared on ESPN’s NFL pregame show.

In Parker’s case, the comments would seem to be even further outside the bounds of what’s acceptable than Limbaugh’s claim that McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to promote a black quarterback. Parker went so far as to say that being engaged to a white woman somehow made Griffin “not really” black. That’s way, way outside the bounds of what’s generally considered an acceptable part of the discourse.

In other words, the comments were out of line but we'll take the ratings. -BSPN

[zulater]

"Kobe is playing like he's a white man" - Rob Parker


https://twitter.com/EvilMikeTomlin/s...12778228412416

[X-Terminator]

In other words, Parker just called RGIII an "Uncle Tom" simply because he doesn't act or speak like he's from the ghetto. If I had a dollar for every time I've been called that during my lifetime, I'd be richer than Warren Buffet. That is a big, big problem with the black community. Wanting to be successful, speak properly and be educated is considered "being white" to far too many. You are mocked, ridiculed and belittled to the point that you either ignore it and keep your nose clean, or you conform to the rest of them. Unfortunately, many choose the latter, and...well, you know the rest.

If Parker isn't fired for this, ESPN's credibility...what's left of it...will be completely obliterated.

[st33lersguy]

Maybe Griffin just doesn't want to be defined by the color of his skin but by what he does, a foreign concept to many leftist goons.

[43Hitman]

Maybe Griffin just doesn't want to be defined by the color of his skin but by what he does, a foreign concept to many leftist goons.

Agree!! I'm paraphrasing here so don't mock me if I blow this quote.."Judge a man not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character.." -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

[Dwinsgames]

In other words, Parker just called RGIII an "Uncle Tom" simply because he doesn't act or speak like he's from the ghetto. If I had a dollar for every time I've been called that during my lifetime, I'd be richer than Warren Buffet. That is a big, big problem with the black community. Wanting to be successful, speak properly and be educated is considered "being white" to far too many. You are mocked, ridiculed and belittled to the point that you either ignore it and keep your nose clean, or you conform to the rest of them. Unfortunately, many choose the latter, and...well, you know the rest.

If Parker isn't fired for this, ESPN's credibility...what's left of it...will be completely obliterated.

it is a shame that today's society is as such ..

congrats to you for being your own man in the face of adversity

[Psycho Ward 86]

that is just shamefully offensive. Fire him immediately.

[Seven]

Another panelist on the show, Stephen A. Smith, said he wasn’t comfortable with how Parker had framed his argument.

“First of all, let me say this: I’m uncomfortable with where we just went,” Smith said when asked to respond to Parker. “RG3, the ethnicity or the color of his fiancee is none of our business, it’s irrelevant, he can live his life in whatever way he chooses. The braids that he has in his hair, that’s his business, that’s his life, he can live his life. I don’t judge someone’s blackness based on those kinds of things. I just don’t do that. I’m not that kind of guy.”

When Steven A. smith comes across as the voice of reason you know you've gone yard!

Yeah, really.

[86WARD]

Fucking racist.

[Edman]

In other words, Parker just called RGIII an "Uncle Tom" simply because he doesn't act or speak like he's from the ghetto. If I had a dollar for every time I've been called that during my lifetime, I'd be richer than Warren Buffet. That is a big, big problem with the black community. Wanting to be successful, speak properly and be educated is considered "being white" to far too many. You are mocked, ridiculed and belittled to the point that you either ignore it and keep your nose clean, or you conform to the rest of them. Unfortunately, many choose the latter, and...well, you know the rest.

If Parker isn't fired for this, ESPN's credibility...what's left of it...will be completely obliterated.

There's no need for a 'Ku Klux Klan' anymore. Racist and Ignorant Blacks are more than happy to just obliterate themselves and cast out other blacks who don't fall in with them.

If you can speak coherent English, don't wear stupid braids, or listen to anything but rap, or actually take up meaningful hobbies and talents, you're not "black" enough. I guess to clowns like Parker, irresponsible, immature jackass athletes like JaMarcus Russell and Cam Newton are better role models than RGIII.

[Dwinsgames]

racism has no boundaries

[steel striker]

Parker should be fired simple as that.

[NJarhead]

I'm guessing this idiot went to the Nancy Pelosi school of philosophy.

[Devilsdancefloor]

WOW! what exactly is the cause? ugh i really outta tune this out, but it makes me sick

[zulater]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ry/rumor-mill/

LATEST UPDATE.

ESPN has admitted that commentator Rob Parker crossed the line when he questioned whether Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is not really black because he has a white fiancee. But Parker doesn’t seem to think he did anything wrong.

After making those comments on Thursday morning, Parker was inundated with criticism on Twitter, and in his responses on Thursday afternoon, he generally acted as though he was the one who was owed an apology for anyone daring to question what he’d said. Parker called his critics, among other things, “uneducated” and “silly.”

But Parker suddenly stopped tweeting on Thursday, presumably because his bosses at ESPN told him to knock it off. After all, if the critics who were going after Parker on Twitter are uneducated and silly, doesn’t that mean the bosses at ESPN who said Parker’s comments were inappropriate are also uneducated and silly?

Before he went silent on Twitter, Parker also told critics to tune in to Friday’s First Take for more discussion of the matter. That’s right out of the First Take playbook: The show thrives on provoking controversy. But Friday’s First Take didn’t open with Parker or with any discussion of Griffin. Instead, the show simply ignored Parker’s comments and launched into an argument between panelists Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith about Sunday’s Steelers-Cowboys game.

[Dwinsgames]

just can't fix stupid

[fansince'76]

ESPN has admitted that commentator Rob Parker crossed the line when he questioned whether Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is not really black because he has a white fiancee.

Sorry, not good enough. He needs to lose his job over that. If he were white he already would have.

Oh, and where are the Reverend Al and Jesse and all of their bullshit righteous indignation in all of this?