In response to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady being seen on the sideline yelling at offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels Sunday during the team’s game against the Buffalo Bills, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith suggested the public’s reaction would be different if Brady were black.
“If he were black, we would be going off about it,” Smith said on “First Take.”
He continued, “What I am attacking is the inconsistency of Joe or Susie public out there who would be quick to denigrate a black athlete if he was on the sideline acting that way. He’d be cited for insubordination. He would be perceived as completely out of control, temper tantrum — maybe he has some anger management issues and needs to take a course or something along those lines.”
Smith later added that there is a “double-standard” that when it comes to emotion on the field, black athletes are “customarily” perceived as angry, while white athletes are seen as “committed to success.”
“I think the white athlete is judged differently than the black athlete when it comes to emotional expressions. I believe that black folks are customarily, if not religiously, labeled and characterized as angry as opposed to white individuals being perceived as just being emotional and very, very much invested and committed to success. It’s a double standard, it’s flagrant, but it’s been going on for decades, if not centuries,” Smith concluded.
Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.