Hannity Panel Debates Reverse Racism At NFL Draft

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by Glenn Davis | 1:09 pm, April 22nd, 2010

» 13 comments

At the highest levels of football, running back is a position long held almost exclusively by African-Americans. Naturally, then, on the rare occasions a white star emerges at the position, it inevitably turns into a hot-button racial issue, with questions usually taking the general form of “Why aren’t there more white running backs?” The white running back of the moment is Toby Gerhart, a Stanford product who has an outside shot at getting selected in tonight’s first round of the NFL draft. The debate on race’s possible role in Gerhart’s public perception was enough for Sean Hannity to invite former NFL running back/CBS football analyst Spencer Tillman and sports pundit/loud person Stephen A. Smith on his show to debate whether race is hurting Gerhart’s draft stock. Smith didn’t think so, Tillman was worried it was. Video below.

The first highlight occurred before Hannity even introduced Tillman and Smith, when Gerhart’s comments on being a white running back (“I’m just out there playing ball”) and a scout’s opinion on Gerhart (“If he was the exact same guy – but he was black – he’d go in the first round for sure”) were displayed onscreen under the not-at-all hyperbolic heading “NFL DRAFT SHOCKER.”

When questioned on race’s potential role in Gerhart’s career, Smith said, “I don’t believe that [Gerhart's] not going to be a first-round pick because he’s white;” rather, he believed that Gerhart’s supposed 4.5-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine illustrated a lack of elite speed that will hurt him in the NFL. Smith repeated “4.5″ several times throughout the debate, somewhat confusing first because the number is slightly inaccurate (Gerhart actually ran a 4.53 rather than an exact 4.5). Moreover, although for some reason the NFL’s official scouting combine website doesn’t list the time, a 4.53-second 40-yard dash would have placed Gerhart among the top 10 running backs at the combine, so it’s tough to see what was so bad about Gerhart’s time.

Tillman focused on the scout’s comments, but in a dubious way. “We live in a world of images and impressions,” he said, and Gerhart “is now like a minority who finds himself on the opposite end of discrimination.” He called racism “prejudice plus power” and was worried about the implications of a scout, whose impressions of Gerhart do indeed have the power to impact the player’s economic future, making comments like the ones Hannity highlighted. The problem is this: the scout wasn’t denigrating Gerhart’s ability based on race, but rather predicting that everyone else would. Saying Gerhart would be a first-round pick if he were black indicates the scout thinks Gerhart has first-round talent, but Tillman continued worrying that specific scout might pass Gerhart up because he’s white, concluding, “I would love to know if that scout is on that team that passes him up.”

It was an unsatisfying debate, with both Smith and Tillman sticking to their talking points even though they were both seemingly contradicted by facts, facts neither side pointed out. While the dearth of white running backs remains an interesting fact, one which probably has many different root causes based on both physical and sociological factors, last night’s discussion on Hannity didn’t come any closer to connecting the puzzle pieces.

Photo via

fnc, fox news, Hannity, NFL Draft, Sean Hannity, spencer tillman, Stephen A. Smith, toby gerhart, white running backs

The Real Royal King

loud person Stephen A. Smith

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Now, that’s funny!
writer

The person who can do the job the best should get the job, regardless of race. At least that’s what the left always says, isn’t it?
http://www.mediaite.com Dan Fogarty

Somewhere, Mike Alstott is fumbling.
ImNotBlue

One more thing… this is not a case of “reverse racism.”

There is no such thing as “reverse racism.”

“Racism” does not require a “majority group” to judge a “minority group.” Racism is simply pre-judging someone, or making certain exceptions, punishments, or otherwise special treatment based upon their race. And no part of that would be difference if “reversed.”

So either this is a case of “racism,” or not. “Reverse racism” is nonsense.
NORBIT

So the Big Lie about “more representative of the community” doesn’t apply to caucasians? – Is that about right??
NORBIT

It’s hilarious when the REAL RACISTS fall all over themselves trying to justify their racial prejudices…and even more hilarious when sycophant posters give them kudos for it!

Hey Steve, maybe it’s because he wears blue socks that they discriminate against him! LOL!
ex political-media hack

Good piece. I played Division I football with two guys who went Pro and the fastest guy on our team ran a 4.7 forty. The idea that Smith said that 4.5 is slow is ridiculous – and untrue. (Maybe he should have checked with those at the combine first before he said such a lame thing as an excuse.

Of course there is reverse racism – in both pro sports and in Democratic politics. (note that Obama got 98% plus of the AA vote in the primaries against Hillary – and everyone in the media either looked the other way over this and/or pretended it wasnt what it was – reverse racism.)
tjl

Last I checked even if he were in the Top 10 in combine speed, that doesn’t mean him not going in the first round is reverse racism. There were only THREE running backs selected in the first round last season. So even if he is one of the ten fastest backs in the draft, that still doesn’t mean he “should” go in the first round.

It’s also about team needs! Kiper has two backs going in the first round — C.J. Spiller and Ryan Matthews — who are both better backs than Gerhart. Point me to the teams that “should” take a back in the first round and who are passing up Gerhart because he’s white …

Would Pat White have been a first round pick last season if he was white?

Not sure where the racism is here. Especially if you’re not making a “football” argument. I can say that Gordan Haywayrd not being a Top 10 pick in this upcoming NBA Draft would be racism, and you can counter that I’m an idiot. Talent is talent!
ex political-media hack

I like tjl’s informed post – and I have no idea if anyone from Stanford should ever go in the first round – but I was commenting on Smith’s comment that 4.5 was slow. Thats was a BS excuse, nothing more.
Munch

What a shocker.

A post on racism and who is the 1st. poster? The race baiting King of the Queens himself. So predictable!
Nacho

4.5 is slow compared to the 3 running backs that are ranked ahead of Gerhart and those were the only 3 RBs drafted in the first round.

NFL teams want the best player, period. If anything, a great white running back would be a HUGE commodity in the NFL.

The white American sports fans are always looking for The Great White Hope.

Hannity’s argument about the Heisman is totally irrelevant to the NFL. Anybody that knows half a sh*t about football would not have attempted to make that argument. He needs to stick to what he knows… fear mongering and propaganda.
Nacho

Actually, that’s exactly what he’s trying to do here.
Jelperman

Gerhart was just picked in the 2nd round by the Vikings, so now he gets to run behind the best offensive line in the NFL. So much for this “reverse racism” bullshit.

The knock on Gerhart is that as a tall RB (over 6’1″) with a high center of gravity, he is prone to running upright. This makes him a bigger target for defenders and leads to more fumbles in the pros, where defenders are taught to try to strip the ball. It has nothing to do with skin color.

Sean Hannity should stick to scamming yokels with his “freedom concerts”.