Today's Oregonian featured a story about local boy Kyle Singler (Medford, OR) working out with the Portland Trail Blazers as a warm-up to the NBA draft. Singler was a star on the Duke University basketball team and helped Duke win a national championship in 2010.
There were the usual platitudes about Singler's 'intelligence', 'competiveness', 'basketball IQ', 'drive', blah, blah, but the comment that resonated with me was the one expressing doubts about Singler's 'athleticism'.
Translation: Singler's a white kid who can't jump or run fast. That's what 'lacks athleticism' means in basketball.
Just once I'd love to hear the general manager and scouts speak the truth: 'Yeah, he's a smart kid who went to Duke and probably knows calculus, but he's a white guy who can't jump worth shit.'
For years, African-American athletes faced (and still do) the stigma that they were not smart enough to play quarterback (and, to a lesser extent, offensive linemen) in the NFL. Quarterback is a position perceived as requiring a higher level of intelligence than other positions and it's the central position on a team, the face of the team.The QB is 'da man'! African-American QBs coming out of college were tagged as 'athletes'; and usually relegated to the defensive back, running back, or wide receiver postions. The message to prospective African-American pro QBs: "You're not smart enough to be a pro QB and be the face of the franchise. But since you're fast and can jump, we'll put you here."
I suspect the same discrimination occurred at the college level.
As regards Singler, I don't know how 'athletic' he is. But I guess turnabout is fair play.
Billy Hoyle, where are you?
Oh yeah, here is Singler's trick-shot video:
Next up: Jimmer Fredette.
“Look, let me put it to you this way: the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it.” -- Rush Limbaugh
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