After graduating from Boston University in 1998, I have enjoyed being able to remain informed about life at my alma mater through The Daily Free Press online. By and large, I have never felt compelled to write a letter to the editor. However, after reading the editorial regarding the reaction to Rush Limbaugh’s commentary on Donovan McNabb (‘Limbaugh overreaction,’ Oct. 3, pg. 8), I wanted to respond.
As a native of the Philadelphia region, I have followed the Philadelphia Eagles for as long as I can remember. I have memories of great teams, of mediocre teams and of absolutely lousy teams. Through all that time, I have never seen as much progress and consistent excellence as I have witnessed while the team has been stewarded by Coach Andy Reid and quarterback Donovan McNabb. Limbaugh made the comment that the ‘defense carried the team.’ Philadelphia has historically had great defensive teams, which for the most part, rarely made the playoffs due to putrid offenses. One of the best defenses of all time, 1991’s ‘Gang Green’ under Bud Carson, didn’t even make the playoffs due to offensive ineptitude. Contrary to popular opinion, a defense (while inseparable from a championship team) is not the magic bullet of football. You need a franchise quarterback (the Baltimore Ravens being the only possible exception of which I can think). At times, Donovan McNabb has brought victories to the team by sheer willpower.
He is, by far, the best quarterback of the 1999 draft. The other quarterbacks from that draft are either benched (Couch), out of football (McNown and Smith) or slowly maturing (Culpepper). None of them has achieved as much as McNabb in so short a period of time.
Ultimately, I believe Limbaugh was echoing a perception that sadly, still exists in the 21st century that a black football player cannot be a good quarterback. A tone of racism still pervades the media when discussing a black quarterback. Terms like ‘athletic’ and ‘articulate’ are backhanded compliments at best. Which professional football player is not ‘athletic?’ Why don’t people say that Peyton Manning is ‘articulate’ or Brett Favre is ‘articulate?’ Why are these adjectives chosen predominantly for black athletes? In such an atmosphere, there needs to be an acute sensitivity to any and all terminology that seeks to define athletes based on the color of their skin.
Finally, I am still in a state of shock that ESPN hired Rush Limbaugh in the first place. Didn’t they learn from ABC’s mistake with Dennis Miller? Limbaugh should stick to his talk show and leave the football commentary to professionals who have played the game at the NFL level.
Timothy S. Pure CAS ’98
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