North Star Writers Group

I hate being a pawn playing right into the hands of a disgruntled nobody. But here I am, helping him get his name out there. I hope you’re proud, J. Whyatt Mondesire.

Who? Anyone heard of him? Okay, the two of you in the back with your hands raised, had you heard of him a month ago?

I didn’t think so. In case you already forgot his name, it’s J. Whyatt Mondesire. There’s an “h” in there, so don’t confuse his name with Mr. Earp.

Based upon the only words I’ve ever read by Mr. Mondesire, he is a quite the— he is misguided. He might even be racist. I said it. Look out.

Of course, Mondesire thinks Donovan McNabb (the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback) is a racist. Let the games begin. To complete the triangle, McNabb should think I’m a racist, but no matter. It’s my column. I can cry if I want to.

Mondesire publishes for the Philadelphia Sunday Sun, and is a chief official of the NAACP. That’s right. Despite his intense criticism of McNabb, one of the greatest black quarterbacks in the game, he is an outspoken member of an organization that seeks to advance colored people. (Note: The NAACP repudiated Mondesire’s comments, necessarily assuring the public that misguided members like him do not speak for their organization). I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s let the man speak.

(Referring to Super Bowl XXXIX), “You choked brother. Mediocre isn’t horrible in and of itself. It’s when we fake it that most of the rest of us get irritated.” How do you fake not being mediocre? Mediocre is something you either are, or aren’t.

Donovan McNabb isn’t.

He’s been to four NFC championship games in a row, and one Super Bowl. He is an NFL MVP runner-up, and before his sports hernia (which he sustained in Week 3) caught up with him , McNabb led the league in passing yards and touchdowns through the first five weeks. He’s been on the sidelines for four games and out of the 32 teams in the league, he’s still 18^th in passing yards. McNabb fakes nothing.

Of course, what is Sir Mondesire really upset about?

“Your athleticism and unpredictability to sometimes run with the ball earlier in your career not only confused defenses, it also thrilled Eagles fans… For you to continue to deny we fans (as well as yourself) one of the strongest elements of your game by claiming that ‘everybody expects black quarterbacks to scramble’ not only amounts to a breach of faith but also belittles the real struggles of black athletes who’ve had to overcome real racial stereotypcasting in addition to downright segregation…We could have remained silent too, if you had found another way to remain effective and a winner. But when your mediocre talent becomes so apparent it’s time to call it out.”

Someone please inform Mr. Mondesire that the Eagles have improved as McNabb has gradually relied less on his feet. From 2000 to 2004, McNabb’s rushed for 629 yards, 482 yards, 460 yards, 355 yards, and 220 yards. Consequently, the Eagles went from being a good team in 2000, to 2004’s most feared team in the NFC. Oh, and they almost won a Super Bowl.

McNabb astutely realized that the threat of his scrambling ability is all he actually needs to keep defenses on their toes. This is McNabb’s style. It works. I’d like to think that J. Whyatt Mondesire actually watched some Eagles games this year, and if he did, he would have seen McNabb laboring, limping, and grimacing between every down. Get over this season. The guy is hurt, and probably should have gotten the surgery earlier than he did. While you’re at it, get over the Super Bowl. Maybe McNabb was tired. Maybe he was just not man enough to suck up the pain and rush his offense to the line of scrimmage with a minute to go. We don’t really know. But he’s not mediocre, and making a career out of a great arm has obviously worked for him.

McNabb’s claim that “everybody expects black quarterbacks to scramble,” is important. It is completely non-racist. It antagonizes racism. Black people do not have to rely on their feet in order to win. Evidently, some people need to hear this.

I am convinced that very soon, an even more efficient hybrid of quickness and throwing than McNabb will appear on the NFL stage and lead a team to the Super Bowl (as long as they have some semblance of a defense). Someone will arrive with Michael Vick-like legs and a Peyton Manning-like arm, and everyone will be flabbergasted. Though I am thus far unconvinced that a quarterback with great quickness and no arm will ever lead a great offense, who knows, the game is constantly evolving; it could happen.

But this is not the point. McNabb is the enlightened one here, not Mondesire. McNabb has exhibited no “breach of faith,” and has certainly not “belittled” the struggles of any black athletes. McNabb simply sought to shrug off the assumption that all black quarterbacks ought to scramble. At no point in time has McNabb ever suggested that there is anything inferior about running quarterbacks. All he has repeatedly stated is that he is first and foremost, a pocket-passer.

In recent years, there has been an outpouring of speed that has completely redefined the quarterback position. In turn, the roles of offenses and defenses have been redefined as well. Scrambling quarterbacks are great for the game. For whatever reason, most of these speedy new quarterbacks are black. The unfortunate consequence is that now there are people like Mondesire who are stuck in the delusion that all white quarterbacks ought to perform like Tom Brady and all black quarterbacks ought to dazzle like Michael Vick (perhaps with a better arm). But this is incredibly naïve. People are still people. Athletes are still athletes.

Mondesire, and everyone, for that matter, ought to take a lesson from McNabb and, just for a few Sunday hours, forget the skin color beneath the uniform.

Oh, and congratulations, J. Whyatt Mondesire. You made another headline.

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