jiggafini19
The Pope
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* Pat Haden has shown very few lapses in judgment over the years doing the color commentary for NBC. The comment he made regarding the unique positioning of Reggie Bush and the USC trainer reflected what many of us were thinking, but it was inexcusable to comment on it like he did.
However, Haden is taking some heat for what he said during the ND-Tennessee game, as some are comparing his comments on Tom Zbikowski’s and Jeff Samardzija’s speed to the comments made by Fisher DeBerry and Joe Paterno recently regarding the athletic differences among the races. That is a mistake.
A Rhodes’ Scholar, Haden does not need anyone to defend him, but I feel the need to present another side. Is it possible to call a white athlete “deceptively fast,” like Haden called Samardzija, without people finishing the sentence in their heads with “for a white guy?” If somebody described a 6-foot-5, lanky baseball pitcher, regardless of race, would that make you conjure up images of the guy blowing by defensive backs? Probably not, which is why Samardzija can be called deceptively fast? That assessment can be made based on his build, not his race.
As for Haden characterizing Zbikowski’s speed as adequate, it must be put into reality then context. Tom is not that fast, especially when compared to other safeties across the nation. He is fast, but not faster than an average safety. As for the context, Haden was using his description of Zibikowski’s speed to make his main point, which was that it is not just Zbikowski’s speed, but his knack for taking the best route to the end zone while breaking tackles along the way, that make him a great punt returner.
However, Haden is taking some heat for what he said during the ND-Tennessee game, as some are comparing his comments on Tom Zbikowski’s and Jeff Samardzija’s speed to the comments made by Fisher DeBerry and Joe Paterno recently regarding the athletic differences among the races. That is a mistake.
A Rhodes’ Scholar, Haden does not need anyone to defend him, but I feel the need to present another side. Is it possible to call a white athlete “deceptively fast,” like Haden called Samardzija, without people finishing the sentence in their heads with “for a white guy?” If somebody described a 6-foot-5, lanky baseball pitcher, regardless of race, would that make you conjure up images of the guy blowing by defensive backs? Probably not, which is why Samardzija can be called deceptively fast? That assessment can be made based on his build, not his race.
As for Haden characterizing Zbikowski’s speed as adequate, it must be put into reality then context. Tom is not that fast, especially when compared to other safeties across the nation. He is fast, but not faster than an average safety. As for the context, Haden was using his description of Zibikowski’s speed to make his main point, which was that it is not just Zbikowski’s speed, but his knack for taking the best route to the end zone while breaking tackles along the way, that make him a great punt returner.
