Check out this Sports Illustrated cover from 1974 (1 Viewer)

[Raider Nation]

LINK

Could you imagine if this happened today?

"Donovan McNabb -- Philadelphia's Black Quarterback"

 

[JJP]

Really ironic to see this on a day when white Connecticut firefighters got their rightful promotions SIX YEARS AFTER THE FACT. Meanwhile, that idiot Sotomayor is on the Supreme Court.

 

[Donsmith753]

Or "JaMarcus Russell - Oakland's Black Vacuumm Cleaner"

 

[Limp Ditka]

LINK

Could you imagine if this happened today?

"Donovan McNabb -- Philadelphia's Black Quarterback"

I wonder how long he's been one.

 

[jamil]

Peyton Manning - The great white hope

 

[Swamprat]

LINK

Could you imagine if this happened today?

"Donovan McNabb -- Philadelphia's Black Quarterback"

Didn't Limbaugh try that one?

 

[Ned]

Or "JaMarcus Russell - Oakland's Black Vacuumm Cleaner"

 

[domvin]

Doug Williams, before the Super Bowl was asked how long he's been a Black Quarterback? What year was that, 87?

 

[delusional]

it kinda does happen, watch a game with 2 black qbs...or 2 black head coaches....granted its not in writing but the commentary is all over this like white on rice

 

[BaBastage]

it kinda does happen, watch a game with 2 black qbs...or 2 black head coaches....granted its not in writing but the commentary is all over this like white on rice

Oof, this thread is flirting on the edge of pc-incorrectness-feelings-hurtyness.btw, rice comes in black too, and brown, and a multitude of other colors.

I look forward to the day when no one gives a hoot about what race or ethnicity any player or coach is. As long as they make it a focus, they're still perpetuation a divide.

And someday, going full circle, there will be articles about the endangered species known as "caucasion running back".

 

[SuperJohn96]

it kinda does happen, watch a game with 2 black qbs...or 2 black head coaches....granted its not in writing but the commentary is all over this like white on rice

What are they to do? There is no black-or-white answer here.

 

[Doug B]

Doug Williams, before the Super Bowl was asked how long he's been a Black Quarterback? What year was that, 87?

This is an urban legend.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

And someday, going full circle, there will be articles about the endangered species known as "caucasion running back".

Already a topic because of that dude from Stanford, whom the media is treating as much as a novelty now as it did Doug Williams in the '80s.

 

[OddibeMcD]

it kinda does happen, watch a game with 2 black qbs...or 2 black head coaches....granted its not in writing but the commentary is all over this like white on rice

Oof, this thread is flirting on the edge of pc-incorrectness-feelings-hurtyness.btw, rice comes in black too, and brown, and a multitude of other colors.

I look forward to the day when no one gives a hoot about what race or ethnicity any player or coach is. As long as they make it a focus, they're still perpetuation a divide.

And someday, going full circle, there will be articles about the endangered species known as "caucasion running back".

It does?

 

[SteelerMurf]

Terry Bradshaw is black

 

[Skipper]

The PC pansies and the knee-jerk troglodytes who think that white men have it bad are all wrong. The goal isn't total color-blindness, since skin color is a noteworthy physical attribute like eye color or handedness. It's the stereotypes and conclusion-jumping that are the real problem.

The talk about Gerhart is amusing. Does no one remember John Riggins?

 

[dudaman]

And someday, going full circle, there will be articles about the endangered species known as "caucasion running back".

Already a topic because of that dude from Stanford, whom the media is treating as much as a novelty now as it did Doug Williams in the '80s.

 

[Csonka4life]

The PC pansies and the knee-jerk troglodytes who think that white men have it bad are all wrong. The goal isn't total color-blindness, since skin color is a noteworthy physical attribute like eye color or handedness. It's the stereotypes and conclusion-jumping that are the real problem.The talk about Gerhart is amusing. Does no one remember John Riggins?

I got news for anybody under 35 years old doesn't remember him.

 

[Zoomanji]

The talk about Gerhart is amusing. Does no one remember John Riggins?

The Mike Alstott of the 70s?

 

[AhrnCityPahnder]

LINK

Could you imagine if this happened today?

"Donovan McNabb -- Philadelphia's Black Quarterback"

I don't see what's that suprising. Joe Gilliam was one of the first black QBs (I know there are a very few random examples of black QBs before him, but AFAIK he was the first one of the superbowl era?). If an Asian dude all of a sudden was a starting, winning QB next year ... I think it would be a pretty big story.

 

[Maroney=Sped]

I don't think it's all that unusual even now.

 

[daveR]

One problem in dismissing race altogether is that OUR GOVERNMENT won't let it happen. Every form you fill out for them has a checkbox for race.

 

[TinHat]

LINK

Could you imagine if this happened today?

"Donovan McNabb -- Philadelphia's Black Quarterback"

I wonder how long he's been one.

I wonder if Chris Berman has noticed it yet...

 

[tombonneau]

Doug Williams, before the Super Bowl was asked how long he's been a Black Quarterback? What year was that, 87?

This is an urban legend.

Very interesting read. Thanks. However the fact that it ends mentioning Williams insists that he really was asked that question kind of still puts it in the 50/50 category.

 

[TC]

Joe Gilliam was the starter for 6 games in 1974 and James Harris led the LA Rams to the 1974 NFC championship. The AFL had a short-term black QB in 1968(?) - Briscoe BUF. Yet, it was not until 1974 that a 'real' team has a non-white quarterbacking the team. Even in early 2000s, the time of McNair, it was uncommon.

 

[Chaka]

Sooooo, he wasn't Pittsburgh's black quarterback?

 

[Stinkin Ref]

One problem in dismissing race altogether is that OUR GOVERNMENT won't let it happen. Every form you fill out for them has a checkbox for race.

we have to try and make sure everybody is being treated the same by continuing to seperate them from the get go

 

[Enforcer]

Perceptions and conventional wisdom change with time. For instance, it's not socially acceptable for people to buy and sell other people in public markets. Oddly, as times change there seems to remain a constant. Some people seek to evoke an emotional response from others by mentioning seemingly controversial changes in perception, when in reality its a complete non-story.

In other breaking news, water is still wet.

 

[Chaka]

Perceptions and conventional wisdom change with time. For instance, it's not socially acceptable for people to buy and sell other people in public markets. Oddly, as times change there seems to remain a constant. Some people seek to evoke an emotional response from others by mentioning seemingly controversial changes in perception, when in reality its a complete non-story.In other breaking news, water is still wet.

Isn't the fact that we no longer engage in the open trading of human life due to a change in perception of the value of human life?I am not necessarily disagreeing with you but I am not sure I understand the point you are trying to convey.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Doug Williams, before the Super Bowl was asked how long he's been a Black Quarterback? What year was that, 87?

This is an urban legend.

Another unidentified questioner posed this one to several players: "If you could be a tree, what kind of tree would you be?" This produced perhaps the best answer in Super Bowl history, from Broncos defensive end Walter Bowyer, who said, "a cheese tree."

 

[Phurfur]

LINK

Could you imagine if this happened today?

"Donovan McNabb -- Philadelphia's Black Quarterback"

I think a few years back we had the first "black" coach it win a SB. Could you imagine if this happened today?

 

[Zoomanji]

Joe Gilliam was the starter for 6 games in 1974 and James Harris led the LA Rams to the 1974 NFC championship. The AFL had a short-term black QB in 1968(?) - Briscoe BUF. Yet, it was not until 1974 that a 'real' team has a non-white quarterbacking the team. Even in early 2000s, the time of McNair, it was uncommon.

Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon, Rodney Peete, Andre Ware never happened?

 

[Maroney=Sped]

Joe Gilliam was the starter for 6 games in 1974 and James Harris led the LA Rams to the 1974 NFC championship. The AFL had a short-term black QB in 1968(?) - Briscoe BUF. Yet, it was not until 1974 that a 'real' team has a non-white quarterbacking the team. Even in early 2000s, the time of McNair, it was uncommon.

Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon, Rodney Peete, Andre Ware never happened?

Let me help you out.

 

[Joey Joe Joe Jr.]

Really ironic to see this on a day when white Connecticut firefighters got their rightful promotions SIX YEARS AFTER THE FACT. Meanwhile, that idiot Sotomayor is on the Supreme Court.

Summa cum laude from Princeton, Yale Law School. Say what you will about the faulty jurisprudence behind Ricci v. DeStafano, (though my guess is you probably couldn't say much) but calling her an idiot is more an indictment of you than her.

 

[Enforcer]

Perceptions and conventional wisdom change with time. For instance, it's not socially acceptable for people to buy and sell other people in public markets. Oddly, as times change there seems to remain a constant. Some people seek to evoke an emotional response from others by mentioning seemingly controversial changes in perception, when in reality its a complete non-story.In other breaking news, water is still wet.

Isn't the fact that we no longer engage in the open trading of human life due to a change in perception of the value of human life?I am not necessarily disagreeing with you but I am not sure I understand the point you are trying to convey.

My point is that this is a pointless thread. Why did the OP spend the time to share an undisputed fact? Perception changes over time. My guess is their intent is to stir the pot and see what happens. I wouldn't be shocked if someone got overly emotional and irrational with this sort of thing and it leads to pointless yelling/arguing.

 

[Phurfur]

Really ironic to see this on a day when white Connecticut firefighters got their rightful promotions SIX YEARS AFTER THE FACT. Meanwhile, that idiot Sotomayor is on the Supreme Court.

Summa cum laude from Princeton, Yale Law School. Say what you will about the faulty jurisprudence behind Ricci v. DeStafano, (though my guess is you probably couldn't say much) but calling her an idiot is more an indictment of you than her.

No, she is only a racist.

 

[Zoomanji]

Joe Gilliam was the starter for 6 games in 1974 and James Harris led the LA Rams to the 1974 NFC championship. The AFL had a short-term black QB in 1968(?) - Briscoe BUF. Yet, it was not until 1974 that a 'real' team has a non-white quarterbacking the team. Even in early 2000s, the time of McNair, it was uncommon.

Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon, Rodney Peete, Andre Ware never happened?

Let me help you out.

By that definition they are still uncommon.HTH

 

[Maroney=Sped]

Joe Gilliam was the starter for 6 games in 1974 and James Harris led the LA Rams to the 1974 NFC championship. The AFL had a short-term black QB in 1968(?) - Briscoe BUF. Yet, it was not until 1974 that a 'real' team has a non-white quarterbacking the team. Even in early 2000s, the time of McNair, it was uncommon.

Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon, Rodney Peete, Andre Ware never happened?

Let me help you out.

By that definition they are still uncommon.HTH

Yes.

 

[Otis]

NOW IMAGINE

 

[Chaka]

NOW IMAGINE

...if he were left handed?

 

[Chase Stuart]

LINK

Could you imagine if this happened today?

"Donovan McNabb -- Philadelphia's Black Quarterback"

I don't see what's that suprising. Joe Gilliam was one of the first black QBs (I know there are a very few random examples of black QBs before him, but AFAIK he was the first one of the superbowl era?). If an Asian dude all of a sudden was a starting, winning QB next year ... I think it would be a pretty big story.

Joe Gilliam was the starter for 6 games in 1974 and James Harris led the LA Rams to the 1974 NFC championship. The AFL had a short-term black QB in 1968(?) - Briscoe BUF. Yet, it was not until 1974 that a 'real' team has a non-white quarterbacking the team. Even in early 2000s, the time of McNair, it was uncommon.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=476Fitz Pollard was the star and de facto QB (he took snaps under center) in 1920 for the Akron Pros, and he led them to an undefeated championship that season.

In the last season of the AAFC, George Taliaferro played QB for the LA Dons, and was a utility player (QB, RB, WR) for the New York Yanks (and their later iterations as the Texans and Colts) in the early '60s.

Willie Thrower -- born to play QB, of course -- was the 3rd black QB in league history. Charlie "Choo Choo" Brackins was the fourth. Both lasted just one season in the mid-'50s.

Then, yeah, there was a big lull. There were no black QBs again until 1968, but they stuck; 1967 which was the last year without a black QB. Marlin Briscoe played QB for the Broncos in '68, and played fairly well, but was then traded to the Bills and converted to receiver. In 1969, James "Shack" Harris -- VP of player personnel for Jacksonville last year, and in a similar role with Detroit this season -- was drafted by the Bills, and played QB a little bit in '69, '70 and '71. In '74, he became the first black QB to make the Pro Bowl. Joe Gilliam was drafted by Pittsburgh in '72. A few other black QBs were late round draft picks in the mid-'70s -- Tony Adams (Kansas City), J.J. Jones (New York Jets), Dave Mays (Cleveland), Parnell Dickinson (Tampa Bay) and Vince Evans (Chicago) -- until Doug Williams became the first black QB to be selected in the first round of the draft in 1978.

I'd agree with TC that, at least in modern history, Gilliam and Harris were the first two black QBs to be the main men for "real" NFL teams.