By Gary Norris Gray, Staff Reporter

OAKLAND– When we were young we were told that the best players would get to start each game in middle school, high school, and college. The National Football League continues to fight the influx of African Americans quarterbacks.

This year will be the first year that Black starting quarterbacks will number nine, the highest ever and they are taking their teams to the playoffs and winning records. The question remains, what happened to best man plays?

Many are citing that coaches, fans, and players, don’t see race…. REALLY? Then the question remains why the National Football League continues to fight against the recent surge of Black mobile quarterbacks?

Between 1934-1946, African Americans were excluded from playing any position in the National Football League. There was a gentleman’s agreement not to let Blacks participate in professional football, where was the love then? Where was this color blindness then? Nothing but complete silence, The Exclusion Law worked and stayed in effect until 1949.

The United States of America had all white teams for years and years and years and years….did not SAY A WORD… this was normal…. now in 2019 those same Americans are upset and want changes because of the massive influx of African-American starting quarterbacks and a 81% Black team.

What some fans are stating is that we still don’t want our team to be led by an African-American unless we (Team) are guaranteed that he has the possibilities to win the Super Bowl. Just as the country rebelled after the election of Barack Obama in 2016 they are now rebelling against Black quarterbacks in the National Football League.

America should be embracing these new Black running quarterbacks and enjoying what they are doing on the field changing the game, but no, America continues to bash them and criticizes them for threatening their tradition. Threatening their comfort zone and messing with the control of the game.

This same conversation was held back in the middle 1970’s about the political issue of reverse discrimination, only this is on the football field. When the professional football leagues were all white it was o.k. now in 2019 the NFL is 75%-81% Black some people are now complaining.

Even the President of the United States called players in the National Football League S.O.B’s and should be fired. The League is getting too dark and the United States can’t deal with this fact.

Mike Singletary                           Doug Williams             Willie Lanier

For years they stated African Americans could not play middle linebacker. Hall of Famers Michael Singletary and Willie Lanier broke that mold. African Americans could not play quarterback because they lacked the skills.

Doug Williams broke that mold winning the Super Bowl. These same nay-sayers never explained what the skills were….Not smart enough not talented enough. Black quarterbacks keep changing that in cities all over this country and America refuses to recognize this.

Coach Eddie Robinson

Grambling State University Head Football Coach Eddie Robinson asked the NFL what kind of quarterback they wanted and he produced two, James “Shack” Harris-San Diego-Los Angeles, and Doug Williams-The Washington Football Club.

Robinson gave these two quarterbacks the tools and temperament to work in the NFL….Harris went to the NFC title game with the Rams while Williams won the Super Bowl over the Denver Broncos becoming the first African American to do so.

What happened? Did these field generals get smart all of a sudden, no; teams wanted the best man for the position, teams wanted to win, and they were it, but when America has racial agenda lazy quarterbacks get the job?

The problem is that America does not want their favorite team to be lead by a Black man, they do not want a person of darker hue leading their organization unless he wins. This has to change to really let Best Man Plays.

Until we have more Black General Managers

Until we have more Black Owners

Until we have more Black Head Coaches

Until we have more Black Vice President.

Until we have more Black Chief Executive Officers America will be playing the numbers game with Black quarterbacks in the National Football League. The issue of race will always be put forth and always will be needed to be addressed.

The example was on full display this year with the Washington Football Club after a 0-5 start and their rebellious coach. With Black upper management this situation would have been handled differently.

The Washington Football Club would have had a new head coach at the start of the 2019 season. The Buddy System kept Jay Gruden in place and kept rookie Dwayne Haskins on the sidelines carrying a clipboard.

Let’s be real here America is scared to death that African-Americans will take the front office…as it should be because BEST MAN PLAYS THE POSITION.

THIS IS NOT AN AGENDA; this is just the right thing to do.

For example:-

John Elway was quarterback for the Denver Broncos and now General Manager for the Broncos. The record of the Denver Broncos the past four years has not produced a playoff team….This year they are 1-4 but again nobody complains. Elway cannot be the best man for the job?

In Washington D.C. the football team just fired their head coach, Jay Gruden. The Washington Football team is currently 0-5 and has not been in the playoffs for some time. Owner Dan Snyder and CEO Bruce Allen are they the best men for the job? That’s a question even Captain Obvious can answer.

BEST MAN PLAYS!!!  

Gary Norris Gray – Writer, Author, Historian, Gibbs Magazine-Oakland, California and New England Informer- Boston, Mass. THE GRAYLINE:- The Analects of A Black Disabled Man, The Gray Leopard Cove, Soul Tree Radio In The Raw, and The Batchelor Pad Network, Disabled Community Activist. Email glcgray@gmail.com

©Copyrighted Gary Norris Gray @ Gray Leopard Prod