“White Men Can’t Jump” was a big hit 32 years ago. Is the world ready for the sequel, “White Men Can’t Cover”?
Based on last week’s NFL Draft, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Philadelphia took Iowa cornerback Cooper De Jean in the second round. He looks like a young, muscular Woody Harrelson. He plays a position dominated by guys more akin to Wesley Snipes.
Specifically, the NFL has one full-time white cornerback this century. It was 20 years ago with Jason Sehorn of the New York Giants.
Despite this, the topic was an elephant in the NFL draft room for months. Just talking about it made people squirm.
When a reporter asked DeJean about it during his introductory press conference, online observers He denounced it as “Bush League,” “scandalous” and, of course, “racist.”
I’m not saying DeJean is some sort of latter-day Jackie Robinson. But even in our age of hypersensitivity, the reaction seems a bit exaggerated and uncurious.
Galileo would observe that whites make up 60% of the U.S. population, but about 0.73% of NFL corner rooms. From a purely academic point of view, isn’t this at least mildly interesting?
Is the explanation biological? Bias? Both?
“They don’t even let white guys try to play cornerback anymore,” Jason Kelce said on his podcast a few years ago. “Like they just said, ‘You’re done.'”
I believe NFL coaches would start a two-headed Mongolian at cornerback if he could cover Tyreke Hill. I also believe that some coaches at least subconsciously look at white cornerbacks the same way Sidney Deane initially looked at Billy Hoyle in “White Men Can’t Jump.”
We used to make comedies about that dynamic. Today, it is almost taboo to talk about such things.
Forget the NFL. If you’re curious about the world in general, this is no way to solve its mysteries. …
Stud of the Week: The NFL, for bringing 775,000 fans to Detroit to see Roger Goodell announce the names of the college players who had just been drafted.
Stud II: The SEC for drafting 59 players, 16 more than the late, great Pac 12. As a public service, we won’t mention how many players Florida contributed to the total.
Stallion II: Nelly Korda. After winning five straight LPGA tournaments, she was kind enough to take a week off and let someone else win.
Miss of the Week: The Georgia baseball team, for letting Texas A&M score 19 consecutive runs and ending the game under the 10-run rule. This is perhaps the first time that a team has been dominated after leading 9-0 in the first set.
Answer of the Week: Twins infielder Kyle Farmer on how he tried to get out of a bad situation: “I took a shower in my uniform. I wore my sliders backwards. I changed my socks every day. I prayed to Jesus, prayed to the baseball gods, and they still haven’t answered me.
“If you tell me to wear my jockstrap backwards over my nose, I might do it.” …
Taboo II – The Kentucky Derby IIt’s Saturday. According to USRacing.com, brown or brownish horses (Chestnut, Bay) have won 136 times, gray horses have won eight times, and “the last black to win the Kentucky Derby – Flying Ebony 1925.”
If you think that’s strange, no white man has won the Derby. Coming to a theater near you – “White Horses Can’t Run.” …
Gender Pay Gap Update – Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, the women’s version of the Derby, has a total purse of $1.5 million. The purse for the Derby, dominated by men, is worth $5 million.
“But we no longer require fillies to make coffee before morning training,” a Churchill Downs spokesperson said. …
Hoping to snap out of my writing slump, I’m wearing a jockstrap backwards over my nose as I type this column. …
Answer of Week II: Goes to Sondra Thomas, mother of LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas. After her son was drafted in the first round, ABC’s Laura Rutledge asked him, “How far has this family come?”
“We’re from Baton Rouge, Louisiana,” Sondra said. …
Overheard by Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie during the second round of the NFL Draft: “What is it? …
I hope the ABC reporter asks the Kentucky Derby winner’s mother about her family’s journey. …
Feel No Draft: Not to be specific, but Florida had as many players drafted as Holy Cross, Houston Christian, New Hampshire, Texas A&M Commerce, Yale and that other UF, University of Findlay. …
Umpires named Cubs relievers Luc Petit cI changed my gloves last week because the one he was wearing had an American flag patch that they said was distracting hitters.
Along the same lines, Ivy League presidents have forced their teams to remove American flag patches because they are Ivy League teams. …
Breaking News: Derby longshot Mugatu (50-1 odds) has identified as a filly and is now favored to win the Kentucky Oaks. …
That’s about all the space we have for this week’s Whitley’s Believe It or Not. Until next time, always bet on the brown horse.
David Whitley is the sports columnist for the Gainesville Sun. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @DavidEWhitley
