Twenty years ago a talented veteran NFL quarterback led his Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII (22). His name was Doug Williams. He is a black man.
It pains me to even have to make a specific reference to the fact he is African - American. He is also 6' 4" tall and played at a weight of 220 pounds. But no reporter ever asked him how long he had been a 6' 4" quarterback. However he was asked how long he had been a black quarterback before the Super Bowl XXII game against the Denver Broncos.
Why am I pointing this out? Well no one in the media asked John Elway, at that time the QB for Denver, how long he has been a white quarterback.
In fact up to that point in history race wasn't even noticed if the QB was caucasion. A black QB? That was an issue of major proportions.
No Doug Williams was not the first professional or college quarterback. However the road to having a chance wasn't exactly paved by his day.
Even being a gifted athlete in high school didn't have big time football college programs banging down the door like Stanford and many other schools sought after the white high school phenoms. This was because Doug wanted to be a quarterback. So he went to what is "black" University at Grambling. Okay the fact there is and ever has been a need for "black" colleges is disturbing to me.
His talent could not be ignored. He was the 17th player picked in the 1978 NFL Draft. Despite the fact that an inexcusable percentage of the world's population foolishly believed that a black man wasn't intelligent enough to play quarterback. Even more disgusting is there are still many hate filled people who believe that.
Needless to say his solid and respectable career capped off with a stellar Super Bowl performance improved the chances of black quarterbacks that followed him. Which history and victims of bigotry rightfully cling to as steps to a better world. Which I certainly applaud and endorse those efforts and sacrifices that have and are being unnecessarily endured.
Actually the point of my rant is it is necessary because of the hatred and bigotry displayed in society. For this we should lower our heads in shame. The fact that we have to celebrate a man's accomplishments based on his color is absurdly unacceptable. Our complexion is a simple manifestation of biology and has no impact on our physical ability or behavor. So Doug Williams may have done a great thing for racial tolerance but it robbed him of being recognized for exactly what he was. A successful NFL quarterback!
Think about it how would any one of you feel if their success or failures were attributed to their skin. Hey Van Halen you only are good at playing the guitar because your white. And Clay Aiken you would have won American Idol but let's face it white males can't sing as good as Reuben because you are white. And Allen Iverson if you weren't black you wouldn't be able to play basketball.
So on the glass is half full side of the world we can say thank you Doug for shutting up some bigots. And on the glass half empty side we can say yeah but there are still many people who don't like Steve McNair, Daunte Culpepper, Donovan McNabb or Jason Campbell etc.
I say let's put that glass down and forget the whole irrational and preposterous notion that our skin pigment is any more than just a part of our personal appearence. Yes why do we look at people as a class, a race, or a segment. Can we finally grow up?
Each person is just that, a person. No more and no less!
