Time to Stop Using the Race Card

This Post originally appeared on Why Liberty?

A few months ago former NFL Quarterback Warren Moon suggested that NFL Prospect and potential first round draft pick Cameron Newton is being judged solely on his skin color and not his talent. Moon said this to CBS Sports:

A lot of the criticism he's receiving is unfortunate and racially based.  I thought we were all past this. I don't see other quarterbacks in the draft being criticized by the media or fans about their smile or called a phony.  He's being held to different standards from white quarterbacks. I thought we were past all this stuff about African-American quarterbacks, but I guess we're not.

The problem with Moon’s statement is that it is 100% false.  What Moon is commenting on is what ProFootballWeekly's Nolan Nawrocki had to say about Newton. Nawrocki wrote:

Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup. Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them. Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and always will struggle to win a locker room.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t get a racism vibe from this statement, what I get from it is that Newton is cocky, me-first, screw-the-team type of player and that has nothing to do with his race.

Moon also implies that black quarterbacks in general don’t get a fair shake because of their color.  This, once again, is 100% false.  If a quarterback is skilled and good enough, he will make it, if not, he won’t make it, it’s that simple.  We need to stop playing the race card in this country whenever it is convenient.  The truth on this subject is simple, the reason black quarterbacks (generally) haven’t been as successful (no super bowls) is that their style of play (run first, pass second) isn’t all the contusive to the NFL, Period. 

We can also apply economics to this situation, if an owner of a team thinks Cameron Newton or any other mobile quarterback is going to win and make them money, he’ll invest in that quarterback.  The reason owner are starting to shy away from mobile quarterbacks (who tend to be black) is that they simply don’t get the same results as quarterbacks such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rogers.

So once again, my message to Warren Moon or anyone else who wishes to use race as an excuse or reason . . . STOP!!  The NFL and it’s owners only care about one color, green.