Yes, forms of institutional racism still do exist in this country. However, I don't know how much "institutional racism" exists at ESPN. Perhaps Lurie's comments are more personally generated since his star quarterback was insulted (the one he has much money and future invested in). I think Lurie is just trying to stick up for McNabb more than anything else. I'm only speculating. However, I do feel the drama "Playmakers" does a poor job of depicting a realistic NFL team. There are a lot of great individuals in the NFL, good role models. The show has players acting in outrageous ways on a level that I think is unrealistic and unfair to the NFL. I think ESPN portrays it that way not because of some institutional racism, but probably more so for ratings. They want what happens in the show to be more sensationalistic because sensationalism sells in this culture. It would be interesting to see McNabb appear on that show...I wonder what kind of a role they would have him play.
The true irony of 'Playmakers', is that it's a concept ripped off from a British show about a....wait for it....soccer team.
Playmakers is a soap opera guised in football to fool guys, myself included, to watch it. I've never watched it and thought it reflected poorly on blacks. I have watched it and thought it reflected poorly on pro football players. I agree that it is far-fetched though I think some of the things it's touched on do happen. And, yes, it IS a blatant rip off of the equally unrealistic Dream Team.
JEFF LURIE STOP BANNING THE HANGING OF THE AMERICAN FLAG IN LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD. THANK YOU. Signed, An American
Other than the fact that it is also a soap opera disguised in athletic wear, I don't see any resemblance.
kqql, I don't understand your thread title. If you're referring to how the NFL is portrayed in "Playmakers," well geez, of course ESPN is responsible for that. It's their freakin' show!!! If you're referring to how the NFL at large is portrated, Lurie never said that. So your title makes no sense. Why did you choose it? Did you make a mistake? If not, what point were you trying to make?
McNabb is overrated. The Eagles played better last year when Feeley was in there. I don't think he's overrated because he is black. He got overrated because he was one of the first running qb's and it was the in thing at the time. I think the last couple of years people have caught on to his mediocre pocket passing skills and that is why many people think he is overrated. As for Laurie, I think he's just sticking up for his player and he knows ESPN is racist.. I wish Laurie would quit wasting his time on stuff like this and invest in MLS and bring a team to philly. Dammit.
First of all I think Lurie is an idiot. Second of all I have heard a number of NFL players and former players say that with a few exceptions (calling your dealer in the room at halftime) it is pretty realistic portrayal of the NFL. I don't know I never played in the NFL but that is what I have heard in interviews.
While a bit over-the-top, every single storyline in Playmakers is "ripped from the headlines." The only one that I don't have a direct recall on is whether a player has been jones'ing so bad he needed a fix during half-time. That seems over the top. But guys fighting over women? Guys addicted to drugs? Guys cheating on the steroids test? Guys hitting their wives? Team doctors putting players health at risk with one-too-many cortison shots? Owners looking the other way as star players get away with, ahem, murder etc. etc. and so on. Where's the out-and-out fiction in all that? Of couse having it all in one season on one team is the fiction, but all of those things are going on and will continue to go on... Now, whether the NFL wants its "partner" putting this stuff out is a legitimate issue and I think the NFL (tagliabue, lurie, etc.) have a legitimate gripe.
So what you're saying Jeff is that non-African Americans suck at football because they're lousy athletes. Could that be construed as racist toward whites? Whenever you try to play the race card, you're coming down a very slippery slope. There's a certain hypocrisy to several things ESPN does, like making money off Little Leaguers, paying leagues exorbitant rights fees so everyone's cable bills can be jacked sky high -- sports fan or no sports fan, televising college hoop games at midnight etc. The initials of ESPN, if I'm not mistaken, stand for Entertainment Sports Programming Network. Key word being "Entertainment". Personally, I think Lurie's talking out of his ass.
No, he didn't say that. For some reason, you seem to WISH he said that. But he didn't ascribe any reason for it. Typical.
It's so sad to be forgotten. -Fran Tarkenton, Steve Grogan, Bobby Douglass, Roger Staubach, Joe Theismann.