There has been a lot of talk about the interview I did on HBO's Real Sports.
I have no apologies. I was asked a variety of questions and I answered them.
The fact that the producers and publicists at HBO decided to focus on those
answers that related to race shows that it remains a hot topic in society
today.
Let me address some feedback...
First, the interview took place in August before the season started so for
those who think I "played the race card" because we are 0-2 are dead wrong.
I did not say that Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Carson Palmer are not
criticized when they don't play well. They have been criticized when they
throw interceptions, when the throw incompletions, and when their teams
don't win. They are criticized and so is every other quarterback for that
matter. And that type of criticism may, in fact, be warranted. But that's
not the type of criticism that we discussed.
Black quarterbacks have to deal with different things than white
quarterbacks. If you don't think that's true than you are naïve. Peyton, Tom
and Carson to name a few, have never been asked what it's like to be a white
quarterback. They probably have not been told that they should have
scrambled more. I bet Fran Tarkenton, Steve Young, Jake Plummer, and Doug Flutie have never been told by a member of any racial consciousness organization that they don't play the quarterback position white enough.
I would love to live in a world where race is not an issue. But it is. I did
not ask HBO to interview me but I did consent. I did not bring up the topic
of race but I didn't back down from it either. This interview was supposed
to be about how my career has been surrounded by controversy and how my
upbringing has shaped the way I have dealt with it. Unfortunately, the
interview itself has created yet another controversy.
All I did was answer the questions that were asked of me honestly and
truthfully. I had no agenda. The people of Philadelphia have criticized my
coach for not answering questions. Now I'm criticized for answering
questions. I understand if people have a different opinion or view point
than I do, I really do. I think if there is one thing I understand better
than most people - it's okay to be different.
I have no apologies. I was asked a variety of questions and I answered them.
The fact that the producers and publicists at HBO decided to focus on those
answers that related to race shows that it remains a hot topic in society
today.
Let me address some feedback...
First, the interview took place in August before the season started so for
those who think I "played the race card" because we are 0-2 are dead wrong.
I did not say that Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Carson Palmer are not
criticized when they don't play well. They have been criticized when they
throw interceptions, when the throw incompletions, and when their teams
don't win. They are criticized and so is every other quarterback for that
matter. And that type of criticism may, in fact, be warranted. But that's
not the type of criticism that we discussed.
Black quarterbacks have to deal with different things than white
quarterbacks. If you don't think that's true than you are naïve. Peyton, Tom
and Carson to name a few, have never been asked what it's like to be a white
quarterback. They probably have not been told that they should have
scrambled more. I bet Fran Tarkenton, Steve Young, Jake Plummer, and Doug Flutie have never been told by a member of any racial consciousness organization that they don't play the quarterback position white enough.
I would love to live in a world where race is not an issue. But it is. I did
not ask HBO to interview me but I did consent. I did not bring up the topic
of race but I didn't back down from it either. This interview was supposed
to be about how my career has been surrounded by controversy and how my
upbringing has shaped the way I have dealt with it. Unfortunately, the
interview itself has created yet another controversy.
All I did was answer the questions that were asked of me honestly and
truthfully. I had no agenda. The people of Philadelphia have criticized my
coach for not answering questions. Now I'm criticized for answering
questions. I understand if people have a different opinion or view point
than I do, I really do. I think if there is one thing I understand better
than most people - it's okay to be different.
