LaVar Arrington in many ways personifies the differences between white and black football players. A high school running back, Arrington was switched to linebacker at Penn State, where he was noted for sometimes spectacular plays, such as leapfrogging over an offensive lineman to sack the quarterback.
Arrington's reputation was made on such plays. He was the second pick of the first round in the 2000 Draft and was instantly annointed an NFL superstar even though he still has not come close to earning that title. Now in his sixth year, he has yet to record as many as 100 tackles in a season, the minimum benchmark for productive linebackers. His NFL career has been much like his college career, marked by the occasional great play but in between such plays very little productivity.
The media of course has always made a big deal out of Arrington, and he in return has one of those ultra-aggressive, self-worshipping, humility-free personalities the media loves to glorify. In the Caste System NFL, Arrington has made three Pro Bowls despite his lack of productivity and consistency.
This season, he is the center of one of those NFL soap operas, as even Caste System truckling head coach Joe Gibbs has tired of Arrington's refusal to accept coaching. Gibbs has demoted Arrington from his starting position because of lackadaiscal play and bad practice habits. Arrington claims that "nobody" on the coaching staff is talking to him. Gibbs says, "I've talked to LaVar more than any other player I've ever coached in 30 years, probably three times more. I've told him exactly what he needs to do."
I believe Gibbs. Not the "three times more" part, but the rest of what he says rings true, while Arrington sounds like the typical lying, whining black "superstar" who feels he isn't being "respected."
Assistant coach Joe Bugel said the Redskins can't play someone "who mixes one flashy play with four or five bad ones," yet that accurately describes the way acclaim is doled out in the Caste System: flashy plays by blacks are rewarded with media oohs and aahs, bad plays are ignored, downplayed or excused. Consistent but not flashy white players are rarely recognized, but their occasional bad plays are rarely ignored and are often magnified out of proportion.
Consistently excellent, or occasionally brilliant but rarely consistent? I know which type of player I'd prefer on my team.
Arrington's reputation was made on such plays. He was the second pick of the first round in the 2000 Draft and was instantly annointed an NFL superstar even though he still has not come close to earning that title. Now in his sixth year, he has yet to record as many as 100 tackles in a season, the minimum benchmark for productive linebackers. His NFL career has been much like his college career, marked by the occasional great play but in between such plays very little productivity.
The media of course has always made a big deal out of Arrington, and he in return has one of those ultra-aggressive, self-worshipping, humility-free personalities the media loves to glorify. In the Caste System NFL, Arrington has made three Pro Bowls despite his lack of productivity and consistency.
This season, he is the center of one of those NFL soap operas, as even Caste System truckling head coach Joe Gibbs has tired of Arrington's refusal to accept coaching. Gibbs has demoted Arrington from his starting position because of lackadaiscal play and bad practice habits. Arrington claims that "nobody" on the coaching staff is talking to him. Gibbs says, "I've talked to LaVar more than any other player I've ever coached in 30 years, probably three times more. I've told him exactly what he needs to do."
I believe Gibbs. Not the "three times more" part, but the rest of what he says rings true, while Arrington sounds like the typical lying, whining black "superstar" who feels he isn't being "respected."
Assistant coach Joe Bugel said the Redskins can't play someone "who mixes one flashy play with four or five bad ones," yet that accurately describes the way acclaim is doled out in the Caste System: flashy plays by blacks are rewarded with media oohs and aahs, bad plays are ignored, downplayed or excused. Consistent but not flashy white players are rarely recognized, but their occasional bad plays are rarely ignored and are often magnified out of proportion.
Consistently excellent, or occasionally brilliant but rarely consistent? I know which type of player I'd prefer on my team.