One of the laziest and more annoying phenomenons in sportswriting is that white players are only compared to white players. The same thing happens with black quarterbacks.
Stanford running back Toby Gerhart knows the phenomenon well.
“I was talking with John Lynch, and joking around with him, that he was in the same situation as a safety. We’re often only compared to other quote unquote white guys that play our position,” Gerhart said.
There aren’t many players to choose from, so writers have stretched to say Gerhart is like John Riggins and Mike Alstott.
“I’m color blind,” Gerhart said. “I’m a running back, I’d compared myself to the running styles of Eddie George and Corey Dillon.” (On cue, the next question was about Gerhart playing fullback. Sigh.)
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said he’s found a team that
“really, really likes” Gerhart. “Some functional/scientific testing
they’ve done suggests better athlete than perceived,” Mort tweeted.
Gerhart said his goal time for the forty was “fast,” which was typical of his assured time with the media. He and Joique Bell are the winners of our total meaningless and subjective favorite interview from the week.
Gerhart, who weighed in at 231 pounds, looks like a second-round pick. He should go to a team looking for a power runner that welcomes contact.
But no, he doesn’t play like Mike Alstott.
Channel Finder
“better athlete than perceived”
Is that racial?
^_^
Vikings would seem to be a team interested. If they lose Chester and don’t go out on a limb with Tomlinson or Mr. Concusion, it might make a good fit.
An Eagles one-two punch of McCoy and Gerhart would be great!
I’d compare myself to Steve Smith, carolina but I’m quite sure others would compare me closer to the any number of white rbs/wrs that were never drafted.
bet he’s got a good motor.
I don’t blame him for not wanting to be compared to other white players. White athletes pretty much stink.
This happens all the time. It’s the subtle racism that still gets airtime on tv.
Gerhart reminds me of Pete Banaszak.
There you young whipper snappers. Ever heard of him?
This guy is going to be a good one. This is coming from a Cal fan.
Power back, Mortensen, hmm…., Sounds like Philly to me.
There are stereotypes in everyones backyard…We will never get over it until they teach this at school…Just tell the truth.
the plural, I believe, is “phenomena,” not “phenomenons.” But its okay, I like your writing very much. Best of all the minions since I started visiting this site (sight? just kidding) about 3 years ago.
And what does gerhart mean about “quote unquote” (“enquote?”) white running backs? Is he suggesting he isnt white? A white running back is white. Not “white.” Unless i’m missing something, which is possible since i’m not white, but I cant imagine what he means.
Keep up the good work Gregg. You really are the best since i’ve been here, except the Poobah himself.
2010 and this is finally addressed! Good for Gerhart. But this does open the door to future black power backs being compared to Toby! Hahahaha! “I’m sure this guy could carry the workload just like Toby!” Sorry if that’s out of line, but I’m black, so I don’t truly feel bad about making this joke.
Honestly, when I was watching his highlights the first name that came to mind was Duce Staley.
White “player” is right… give this guy a #69 jersey and send him into a night club…. Ladies love white guys that can move and considering how he dances on the field..Im guessing “player” is the appropriate term off it as well.
gerhart is a real lunchpail type of player, got a great motor, and is just a football player.
great motor on that kid.
Same thing happens with wide receivers. They’re all reliable intelligent slot receivers similar to Wes Welker.
Gerhart is the real deal. Reminds me of a young Jamaal Lewis probably more than anything. A little different though.
I’d love it if the Raiders could snag him in Round 2 or 3, even though RB isn’t a real big need. Afraid that he’ll wind up in San Diego and be a perennial Pro Bowler before long though.
haha awesome
Since, race is the issue….The greatest running backs of all time are black, the greatest Quartebacks of all time are white,…This is not a freakin perception, it’s reality. He’s a running back, who the hell else are they going to compare him too?
Why not wait until round 6 and draft Tommy Vardell?
You’re all crazy, obviously this kid is going to Houston in the 2nd. Good organization for a good kid. He’s going to combine with Steve Slayton and it’ll be a solid 1 2 punch.
@TryTheVeal
I agree, but it would be an outrage if in reverse. I mean, as long as no one complains that the media overrates him because they want to see a white running back succeed, then anything they say can’t possibly be racist!
What the hell is a ” quote unquote white guy “?
Is that like Jamie Kennedy?
Whites are systemically eliminated by reverse profiling from the time they are children. I coached and know that coaches automatically assume the white kid is not a skill player, so they get put on the OLine or on defense. Now, this stereotype is perpetuated by white coaches as well as black coaches, so it is not a racial issue. For the most part, Black athletes are faster, but not always. How many great running backs were veered to other positions by this unwillingness to accept White RBs?
He reminds me of a cross between Merril Hoge and Tommy Vardell.
What about the colts drafting Gerhart as a change of pace back?
I would love to see a Gerhart/McNabb backfield just to see Rush Limbaugh’s head explode.
Translations for analogies that announcers so often use for players like Gerhhart.
*Deceptive speed = Surprisingly fast for a white guy.
*Possession receiver = White receiver.
*Surprising agility = White agility.
They need to switch him to quarterback.
Bazooka Joe
You prove how dumb you are every time you write one here. White men can’t jump and black men cant swim I guess, or read, or work, or pay child support or stay out of jail or make good decisions, or…
….but hey we blacks are all great athletes right.
Thanks to all the white guys forefathers for breeding us to be great athletes.
Bazooka Joe says:
February 27, 2010 5:53 PM
I don’t blame him for not wanting to be compared to other white players. White athletes pretty much stink.
___________________________________
Bazooka Joe, you are a racist asshole. There is no place on this board for a piece of shit such as yourself.
I would love to see Philly draft Gerhart.
Mccoy-Gerhart combo would be nasty…
Andre_Johnson_for_prez says:
February 27, 2010 6:53 PM
You’re all crazy, obviously this kid is going to Houston in the 2nd. Good organization for a good kid. He’s going to combine with Steve Slayton and it’ll be a solid 1 2 punch.
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ZERO credibility for NOT being able to spell the name of your team’s starting RB…it’s SLATON, moron.
If hes a smashmouth RB, he belongs in PIT.
There are zero starting white tailbacks. No white running back has run for over 1,000 yards in nearly a quarter of a century and only about five percent of starting wide receivers and safeties are white.
Has this amazing and now permanent disparity in a sport that whites have always loved and played so well come about solely because of “black supremacy” in athleticism? The NFL was integrated racially in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s and there were plenty of whites then who played all defensive positions and who ran and caught the ball and who excelled at it. It is only since the late 1980s that certain positions in professional football have become for all intents and purposes black only.
Might there be other factors involved? For example, did you know that the 119 Division I-A major college football programs, with very, very few exceptions, simply refuse to recruit and develop white tailbacks and white receivers no matter how outstanding they are in high school? And that the media enforces this rigid segregation by using euphemisms and descriptions that demean white athletes?
Talented white athletes who want to play tailback, receiver or cornerback must go to a small college program or go the very difficult route of becoming a walk-on at one of the major programs, though Gerhart did not. And since it is the Division I-A programs that supply almost all the players in the NFL, it is hardly surprising that the white running back and wide receiver has become almost extinct, as have whites playing defense in general.
The truth is that white football players, no matter how talented, are directed into a racial system that limits them to being offensive linemen, kickers, quarterbacks (though more and more major college programs are recruiting blacks for that position), and the occasional defensive position, usually linebacker or defensive end.
Funny that Gerhart should be talking to Lynch given their endangered status.
He reminds me of Tony Dungy
No if he goes to Pitt he’ll just play the Ravens 2x a year and get broken into tiny pieces like Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall.
@xgbx
That’s hilarious. Sign me up, too.
He’s what the Patriots need. Someone who can take contact in the redzone and push it in.
“nozzleman454 says:
February 27, 2010 10:50 PM
If hes a smashmouth RB, he belongs in PIT.”
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More like, if he’s a roid freak who ejoys slapping his momma or raping pigs, he belongs in PIT.
I remember Pete and Marv Hubbard!
uhh the y is next to the t sorry if i don’t check everything for typos jack ass
How about the Titans? CJ then switch to this guy. Would be sweet.
To me he’s like a cross between Craig James and Moose Johnson.
I’d like to continue the joke here of comparing him to other white running backs from the last 30 years…
…but I think we used up all six already.
TryTheVeal says:
February 27, 2010 6:22 PM
Since, race is the issue….The greatest running backs of all time are black, the greatest Quartebacks of all time are white,…This is not a freakin perception, it’s reality. He’s a running back, who the hell else are they going to compare him too?
You idiot…that is the whole point meathead…just because the majority of the best RB’s are black and the majority of the best QB’s are white DOESN’T MEAN that a white RB cannot be compared to black RB’s and black QB’s cannot be compared to white QB’s.
What you are saying TryTheVeal is that they cannot be compared to each other because the color of their skin. People like you give me a headache.
Remember what Jimmy the Greek said about running backs?
He reminds me of a cross between Shaun O’Hara and Morten Anderson.
To mashoaf,
So the change of pace for thedolts would be when he comes into a game they would actually have a RB.
Actually I like this kid, I think he could be better than some of the more high profile RB’s who have come out recently, to name just a few try:
Lenwhale White
Darren “stopped at first contact” McFadden
Laurence “No Heart” Maroney
Reggie “where’s the sideline” Bush
Matt “I wish Kyle was back” Forte, could have chosen “one year wonder” but anytime you can gig Jay culter I am all for it.
Will he be a one year wonder, who really knows, will he be a 10 year pro bowler, nope not with his style of running.
He’s awfully articulate… for a running back.