African-American quarterbacks face more pressure and more criticism than their white counterparts, Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb says in an interview scheduled to air on HBO on Tuesday night.
McNabb, in an interview on "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," tells interviewer James Brown that African-American quarterbacks such as himself face added pressure because there are fewer black QBs -- and because some still don't want black athletes playing the position.
"There's not that many African-American quarterbacks, so we have to do a little bit extra," McNabb tells HBO. "Because the percentage of us playing this position, which people didn't want us to play ... is low, so we do a little extra."
Later in the interview, Brown presses McNabb on criticism of his performance -- and if African-American QBs are graded more harshly.
"I pass for 300 yards, our team wins by seven, [mimicking] 'Ah, he could've made this throw, they would have scored if he did this,' " McNabb tells HBO.
"Doesn't every quarterback go through that?" Brown asks.
"Not everybody," McNabb replies.
Brown then asks if the media is tougher on him than on white quarterbacks such as Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning.
"Let me start by saying I love those guys," McNabb tells HBO. "But they don't get criticized as much as we do. They don't."
In the interview, McNabb also talks to Brown about playing in Philadelphia, a city known for passionate sports fans who aren't afraid to criticize the city's pro athletes.
"Every year I'm part of some criticism," McNabb tells HBO. "But every day that we go through life, you're faced with a lot of adversity. Now the answer is how do you handle the adversity. How do you respond?
"I try to handle myself with class. I try to handle myself with dignity. I think sometimes people look to players to act out, speak loudly, pretty much be an idiot. But that's not me."
Wow... just wow.
That last line is... just wow.
I wonder if McJackass ever considered the possibility that Manning and Palmer recieve less criticism than him because they're better than he is?
Michael Vick was statistically the worst QB in the NFL... where was all the hate, pre-dogs? That guy was adored in Atlanta, and was given a break BECAUSE he was a "black QB."
Steve McNair is black, last time I checked. Where's all this criticism for McNair? Two things come to mind -- A) McNair is a better QB than McNabb, is better in the clutch, and goes out there and gets it done with bones sticking out through his skin, rather than miss half of every other season, and B) McNair doesn't play in Philly... ya'think that might have something to do with McNabb's criticism? That he plays in front of the people who hate on Santa Claus?
But hey -- at least for this week, Vick and LaDouchian Tomlinson aren't the biggest douchebags in the NFL. I'm sure LaDouchian will claim his rightful title back soon, though. The staredown of Belicheat after getting his ass handed to him again keeps him frmly in the #2 spot, though.
