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Stephen King once said, “A lot of us grow up and we grow out of the literal interpretation that we get when we’re children, but we bear the scars all our life. Whether they’re scars of beauty or scars of ugliness, it’s pretty much in the eye of the beholder.” George Eliot, the 19th century English novelist, gave it to us like this, “All meanings, we know depend on the key of interpretation.” Then Friedrich Nietzche, the famous German philosopher, stood up, tipped the ashes off of his cigar and said, “All things are subject to interpretation, whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.”
Herm Edwards, former head coach of the New York Jets, was on ESPN’s Sports Center on Friday and boyz asked him what he would do about Riley Cooper if he were the head coach in Philly. Herm kept it all the way 100 and said, “It’s not up to me do anything. The team runs the locker room! Those players will determine what happens with Riley Cooper not the coach.”
That was the realist answer that could have been given and now all of these dull radio and TV cats are trying say that what Michael Vick did was far worse than what Riley Cooper did. Here’s the answer to that playboy, it depends upon who you ask and whose interpretation of the facts carries the most power.
Did Vick do something that was heinous? Absolutely! However, if the vast majority of the duns on the team don’t see it that way because fighting dogs was a normal way of life growing up for them too, then who’s mad? See the folks that are really mad at Vick are the cats that grew up in the suburbs that are dog lovers. The people that see the dog as one of the family, that sleeps in the bed with them and kisses them on the mouth etc.
In the hood dogs are viewed differently. When I was growing up nobody’s dog lived in the house with them. They were tied to the tree out back and if they did get to come into the house they sure as heck didn’t sleep in the bed and wear clothes. See folks that are dog lovers were appalled at what Vick did and rightfully so. But here’s the problem playboy, none of those people are on the team.
Most of the cats on the team grew up like Mike did and fighting dogs was normal. So even though what he did was against the law and he’s now a convicted felon. The 70% of cats that look like him that are on that team aren’t trippin’ because they all know duns that fought dogs and have felonies or both. Now you may not agree with that but it is what it is.
The problem that Riley is having is that the 70% of duns in that locker room are black and in their minds he thinks of them as being N.....s! Regardless of what some guy on the radio or some middle aged white guy in the suburbs thinks about why Riley Cooper should still be in the locker room with his teammates instead of being in counseling. Neither of them have a vote on who's welcomed in the locker room.
I can tell you right now that Riley may as well put his resume together and start looking for a 9 to 5 because even if the Eagles cut him he won’t get picked up by any other team because the dynamics are the same in every other NFL locker room. Nobody wants to play with a guy that thinks that they are nothing but a bunch of N.....s!
Are there others in the NFL that feel the same way about black folks as Riley does? Sure there are, but as long as they don't express it boyz will never know. On some real talk, as black folks we're always wondering what our white friends or counterparts really think of us and what they say about us behind closed doors. Fortunately for those players, Riley took away all doubt so now they know.
Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! If it were 1942 and Riley had said those awful things then he wouldn’t have a problem being welcomed back into the locker room because the majority of his teammates would have had the same sentiments. The problem is, it’s 2013 and the balance of power has changed in that same room. Now days you can’t be that dude and think that it’ll blow over because the judge and the jury don’t see it that way.
Like Herm said, “The players will determine Riley’s future.” The dog lover from the suburbs doesn’t get a vote in this one! So it’s a wrap for ole Riley because like the German philosopher said earlier, “ all things are subject to interpretation, whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.” Stop me when I start lyin’ playboy!
Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Get @ me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheJayGravesReport
The quote under the caption isn’t real but its REAL talk!
So what will happen when a black player hits the highlight reel for saying cracker, chinc, spic, honky, wet back, kike, wop, etc? Cause as much as black folks winder what white folks think, white folks with black friends or in a relationship with a black person wonder what black folks and/or family say bout them behind closed doors. Growing up with black friends and being part of the black families and communities I was still the cracker or lil honky etc. It goes both ways. That dont excuse riley from his failure to eliminate those feelings from his mind... the players will or have already decided his future. I just wonder if there will be the same treatment for all using racially derogatory language.
ReplyDeleteGreat way to put it Homeboy...Great article as always!!! RLB
ReplyDeleteYou have a nice site but you language is dated and corny Dun, Cat, Playboy The 90's have passed and as a journalist please get your writing together.
ReplyDeleteLike This Article because its TRUE! He will never be accepted by any of his teammates unless they are "white washed"... I am keeping it real
ReplyDeleteGood article, ignore the hater's...probably some lame white dude that thinks it's no big deal to use the N word.
ReplyDeletethe article is true. And to answer anynomous who is wondering why white get bashed on when they mention the N word versus a black who says cracker etc...well first of all N word has much more negative impact than cracker ( how many white people are truly offended when they are called this name?? seriously...most of you do not even know what it means) and second we are very rarely caught saying that we are going to attack all the crackers in the room..but really..how dump is this guy? half of your teamates are N word?? stupid. He deserves to flip burgers...
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