ESPN commentator Rob Parker calls Robert Griffin III a "cornball brother"
When asked at a press conference this week about being an African-American player in the NFL, Redskins rookie sensation Robert Griffin III said he didn't want to be "defined" by his race and said that some fans and sports writers tended to "put you in a box with other African-American quarterbacks."
The comments served as a springboard for a discussion Thursday on ESPN's First Take, prompting commentator Rob Parker to pose this query: "My question, which is just a straight honest question: is he a brother, or is he a cornball brother?"
The question puzzled the other sports pundits on the show, so Parker tried to clarify what he meant.
"Well, [that] he's black, he kind of does his thing, but he's not really down with the cause, he's not one of us," he said. "He's kind of black, but he's not really the guy you'd really want to hang out with, because he's off to do something else."
Pressed to further explain his point, Parker continued: "I want to find about him. 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."
Parker's comments seemed to baffle and stun the other sports pundits on the segment. Even Stephen A. Smith, who's not afraid to speak his mind on controversial sports topics, said he was "uncomfortable with where we went."
Griffin hasn't publicly reacted to Parker's provocative remarks but the quarterback's father did.
"He needs to define what 'one of us' is. That guy needs to define that," Robert Griffin II told USA Today. "I wouldn't say it's racism. I would just say some people put things out there about people so they can stir things up.
"Robert is in really good shape on who he is, where he needs to get to in order to seek the goals he has in life ... so I don't take offense," RG2 added.
Parker has made controversial remarks before. Most infamously, he called baseball legend Hank Aaron a "coward" for declining to be in attendance when Barry Bonds broke his career home run record.
A spokesman for ESPN told CBSSports.com that Parker's comments "were inappropriate and we are evaluating our next steps."
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And they ARE racist views, regardless of how they may be perceived by RGII; if a white reporter said such about a white player (having a black girlfriend, for example) he would be gone in a second! End the duplicity!
RGIII's response to that stupid question was spot on. His focus is how well he performs on the field not his being an African-American in the NFL. We would all do well to follow his example regardless of who we are and what we do for a living. Discard the race card.
Oh, you hypocrite!
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." - MLK, Jr.
You, sir, and Mr. Parker are judging RGIII by the color of his skin and ignoring his good character. This is counter to what Dr. King advocated. Parker's job was as a sports commentator NOT a quasi-political/social commentator. For me, you and Mr. Parker are revealing the contents of YOUR characters quite well regardless of the colors of your skin.
There are those dark-complexioned people who would rather be "white", and so play the "Uncle Tom" role.
Colin Powell, Condoeeza Rice, OJ Simpson, Tiger Woods, etc.
They are obviously not "white" and have refused acceptance by their "black" brethren, so they are not one of us, they are alone.
Regardless of his money and status, Mr. Griffin will learn the next time he is stopped by the cops while driving home without his uniform on, that it is not about what one chooses to call him/her self, it is about how others regard and react to her/him.
"...BWB, as a white man, I find your comments extremely offensive..."
So? I couldn't care less if you are offended by truth.
"....I hate the term "reverse racism." I believe racism is racism and you are no less racist than Rob Parker or the white people who discriminate against you..."
So pointing out and opposing the negative treatment given myself and my brethren by a society that was born in blood, raised on genocide, and matured in "white" antipathy towards non "white" people is reverse racism, eh?
Then by your logic, opposing nazism is just as nazi as the nazis.
"...I agree that unfortunately we are not yet a completely racial equal society but we are working towards it..."
Yes we are, but far too many recalcitrant "white supremacists" are given voice in the national dialogue, unopposed in the mainstream media.
"...I admit I don't know how to get there,..."
Then I obviously know something you don't, which is pretending all is well, and staying silent about it isn't going to do it.
"...but do you want to know one way you can help?..."
I already know several ways, by continuing to call it out and opposing it whenever and wherever I can.
"...Stop treating white people and black people as if they're on different teams...
Tell your politicians, the banks, the insurers, the police, the schools, the employers, the mass media, and the venture capitalists that.
Until they change, the reality you seek to ignore is that we are on different teams.
"...and stop putting 21st century racial issues into the context of a 160 year old abolitionist novel..."
When the truths of the inhumanities, the misplaced loyalties, and the rewards of such, as illustrated in that novel stop being truths, then I will stop. To date they have not. Check the stats.
proffessrG replies:
"...You probably don't get invited to a lot of parties..."
I am a Jazz and Funk musician, recording artist and producer, son. I get paid the good bux to be the parties to which others are invited, and I am good at it, enough to have been the center of the parties around the world for 48 of my 56 years.
"...10 bucks says BWB2020 is really Rob Parker..."
I'll see it, and raise you a million dollars.
You game to put up, or just posting anonymous BS to avoid the fact that everything I have posted is true?
There are a lot of us, BTW.
Still, it might just happen, but unlike Imus, or the guy who wrote whatever about Jeremy Lin, he probably won't have others willing to hire him, for the very reason he raises with his question.
(a) Rob Parker asking the absurd question, "Is he a brother. . .etc." Or talking about the guy's white fiance, or his hair. Or the classic, "He's not one of us." Jesus Christ, if I was RGIII I'd be damn happy NOT to be "one" of the club the imbecile Rob Parker belongs to.
(b) Stephen Smith: "I'm not comfortable with etc...." Not comfortable? Hahahahahahahhhaahah. He's not angry, you understand. He's not thinking, "what a complete asswipe this guy is." No, he's "uncomfortable." You know, like maybe he should cross his left leg over his right leg instead of vice versa.
(c) But let's not leave ESPN out of this. They issued a statement saying Parker's comments were (get this) "inappropriate." Inappropriate is where you use your salad fork on the entree. What they should have said was, "We're firing this brain-dead racialist (as opposed to "racist") because he's a full-blown nitwit.