Michael Irvin----- Jimmy the Greek Redux?

[trumad]

Michael Irvin
That's what Irvin said Monday on Dan Patrick's radio show. The host then asked Irvin if having black ancestry was the only way to be a great athlete.

"No, that's not the only way, but it's certainly one way. Great, great, great, great Grandma pulled one of them studs up outta the barn."
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/columnists/orl-whitley2406nov24,0,6770083.column?coll=orl-sports-col


Jimmy the Greek
On January 16, 1988, he was fired by the CBS network (where he was a contributor to the NFL Today program since 1976) after commenting to a reporter that African Americans were naturally superior athletes because they had been bred to produce stronger offspring during slavery:

Jimmy Snyder
"During the slave period, the slave owner would breed his big black with his big woman so that he would have a big black kid—that's where it all started".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Snyder

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Double standard?

[marmar]

1. Good grief....

Michael Irvin must be snortin' the coke again.

[Berry Cool]

2. Oh man, you should have heard Keith Olbermann back away from this.

He did not even want to GO there.

[trumad]

4. I love Irvin---the guy is a first class character

I just find it weird that the Greek could get fired for something like this 18 years ago but today, a comment like this barely gets any play....

[raggedcompany]

3. one of the few privelages of being a minority is you can say whatever you want

he ought to apologize for saying such a stupid thing. also, Dallas Sucks.

[Karenina]

13. Ah, yes... minorities like Rush, Glenn, Sean, Ann...

[raggedcompany]

17. Rush was fired..the others already openly work for the KKK; they're encouraged to say this crap.

Irvin is on a big network, but will likely get a pass. Because he's black. Also because ESPN doesn't want another big problem with a racist announcer, so they're hoping this one blows over.

But whatever..we aren't talking about a government official here. We're talking about a talking head jock on an entertainment show. He wants to be a dickbag, let him. We can tune out and ESPN will get the message pretty quick.

[Ishoutandscream2]

15. Yeah, Dallas sucks

7 and 4, first place in the NFC east, and on a roll. Yeah, Dallas sucks, alright.

[marmar]

5. Reading the whole column....

It appears that Irvin was trying to be funny. Completely inappropriate and extremely stupid indeed, but it was some kind of warped attempt at humor.
Jimmy the Greek was being deadly serious, he just sounded completely crazy.

[trumad]

6. So if the Greek was trying to be funny----

would he have not been fired?

[marmar]

7. Don't know....

But there's the ownership factor. If Jerry Seinfeld makes Jewish jokes based on stereotypes, for the most part, no one is going to drag him over hot coals for it. But if someone who isn't Jewish does it, the paradigm changes. It might be a double standard, but I can understand it.

[trumad]

8. Agree

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[marmar]

10. Call whatever you want to....

You certainly have the right to an opposing opinion.

[Karenina]

11. While Irvin's comment was stultefyingly stupid

and crass, his paradigm was, THIS GUY IS GREAT! HE MUST BE "ONE OF US!"

His expression of "inclusion," however, leaves much to be desired. ;-)

[hiaasenrocks]

12. It is a double standard, and people can claim to understand it

(essentially condoning it) but they should stop to consider the effect. Any use of so-called "offensive language" serves only to perpetuate its use.

People who claim to be opposed to the use of certain words while condoning ("understanding") their use by others are hypocritical.

[marmar]

16. I don't condone it....I think he should have kept his big yap shut....

But I understand where it's coming from. I don't like it when fellow African Americans use the N-word, or when Jewish people jokingly call each other "heebs," or when gay men call each other "fags" because I don't like the words. But I also understand, as a minority, the thesis behind it - taking a negative term and turning it into a term of group bonding and self-empowerment. That said, I think we'd all be better off if such terms were removed from the lexicon.

[Melynn]

20. Irvin was joking

It may be a bad joke but he was attempting to be funny. Jimmy the Greek was serious and like marmar says, he sounded crazy. I think the Greek was drunk when he made his statement. I also think that CBS wanted to fire Jimmy the Greek before he made his statements and the Greek gave them a reason to fire him.

Interesting enough, Rush Limbaugh said his best buddy during his short stint as commentator at ESPN was Irvin. Now let's see, both Limbaugh and Irvin had/have drug problems and both seem to have certain bigoted views towards athletes. Birds of a feather........

[mduffy31]

14. Of course there is a double standard

He will get a pass on this. I think he should be fired, not for this, but because he is terrible. You watch him on Sunday morning and you look a Tom Jackson when he is talking, and TJ is pissed a lot of the time, why because TJ has class.

[mzteris]

18. for anyone really interested in the subject -

http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/e/entine-taboo.html?_r=1&oref=slogin


I read this book in a Black Popular Culture class (led by a former Black Panther) - very interesting book.


Edit to add Amazon link for those who aren't subscribed to NYT:

http://www.amazon.com/Taboo-Athletes-Dominate-Sports-Afraid/dp/158648026X

[LWolf]

19. Interesting article, thanks. I'll check out the book. n/t