Michael Irtvin Gets A Pass For Saying This?

Since race and the double standard applied when race is being discussed by this week ad nauseum between caucasions and African Americans here is a doosey from the "what would happen if a white guy would've said this category"

I missed this what should've been a huge story this week due to being busy with Thanksgiving and focusing more on regular news than the sports scene, but apparently on Monday of this past week (the same monday the world was reeling from Michael Richards remarks) , Mr. Michael Irvin, former Dallas Cowboy turned crack dealer and smoker turned ESPN commentator did his best imitation of Jimmy The Greek on Dan Patrick's ESPN radio show.

Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder for those who do not remember was run out of CBS and sports altogether years ago due to some ill-advised remarks he made regarding black athletes prowess and seemingly superior abilities compared to whites on MLK day of all days back in 1988. Another man, baseball's Al Campanis of the LA Dodgers essentially fell down the same road as Snyder for exactly the same reasons although his remarks were pertaining to the short list of African Americans in the front offices of professional sports front offices at the time.

So What happens when a black man says almost exactly the same things? Read below and see.

(This is old news I'm sure to alot of die hard sports fanatics but the quote below is what culturally sensitive Michael Irvin had to say about the success of another NFL player, a white guy)

From ESPN and the big lead blog"Appearing Monday on ESPN Radio's The Dan Patrick Show, Irvin pulled a Jimmy "The Greek" when suggesting that one possible explanation for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's strong performance is that one of his ancestors got it on with one of those big man slaves to which Snyder referred nearly 20 years ago.

Said Irvin of Romo: "He doesn't look like he's that type of an athlete. But he is. He is, man. I don't know . . . some brother down in that line somewhere. . . . I don't know who saw what or where, his great-great-great-great-grandma ran over in the 'hood or something went down."

Recognizing the idiocy of Irvin's comments, Dan Patrick said, "Oh, that's the only way he can be a great athlete?"

"That's not the only way, but it's certainly one way," Irvin said. "If great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandma pulled one of them studs up out of the barn [and said], 'Come on in here for a second,' you know, and they go out and work in the yard. You know, back in the day." read more

Whoa, could you imagine if the tables were turned on that one. Not a word apparently as of Sunday Morning from ESPN and good old Michael will be working sunday in between his crack breaks on the ESPN gameday set apparently.

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