Friday, August 26, 2011

White Mike: Controversial picture crosses racial lines



ESPN, my favorite media outlet, has been known to tip-toe controversial lines to break quality stories. Well, they've finally crossed the line with their latest piece. ESPN the magazine has been running an ongoing story surveying NFL player's opinions on quarterback Michael Vick. The topics discussed were whether Vick was well-liked, whether his prison sentence was just and whether he had been treated fairly by the NFL.

Then the story took a racial turn. A question on the survey asked players if they felt Vick would have been treated differently if he were white. 58-percent of the players agreed his treatment would have different if he were white. Where ESPN completely dropped the ball is when they posted a picture of a white version of Michael Vick.

For a company that has made great business decisions in the past, this has to be one of the worst. Maybe George Bodenheimer, company president, didn't know that people used to paint their faces black and white to entertain others while degrading blacks in the process. This picture takes away one man's identity to fatten another mans pocket. They sold Vick out to sell a story. For a billion dollar company who usually gets things right, ESPN sure got this one all wrong.

5 comments:

  1. They are way out of bounds on this one.. they are taking they idea of what is perceived as accepted and turning it into the days of bo jingles..

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  2. Lol. Yea man. Sometimes they just go too far. Just cuz u have rap music on sportscenter don't mean you have a free pass

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  3. We discussed this the other day on the phone, I don't see anything wrong with it. I understand where you're coming from, speaking from a racially ignorance perspective; however, the article wasn't on that whatsoever. I mean, racial issues are still real, and for the question to be asked how would Vick be treated if he were white is real. I know it's not about the article but about the picture. I guess all I'm saying is, don't be so sensitive. Just my opinion. They create a picture of Vick with insanely big lips, put a top hat o his head and a cane in his hands and portray him shucking and tap dancing.. I'm rocking with you. As African Americans we too are often some racist individuals but we can get away with it, but as soon as someone white says or does something ify, we're up in arms. I remember on the radio (power 99, years ago) they had white girl Wednesday or something. Dude, let a white station have "Black" Friday where they mock and make fun of black people, lol are you kidding. We dish stuff out but we get pissy when it's shelled back. I digress, I wasn't offended by the pic. The end. LoL

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  4. Ran I agree that we dish stuff out that would be taboo for whites to. I don't disagree with the article I just disagree with the picture. Ignorance is ignorance on both sides. I would be even more upset if they painted Tom Brady black. Thanks for reading and replying Brut

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  5. I think the picture is cool, and a valid point raised in the article
    If Vick was white it would have been a whole nother story. Besides, if a white dude was made to look black, would this even be an issue? Vick is past the road of redemption and making himself into a legend, so whatever he does from here on out will be picked apart. I say let them so that he can continue to prove himself and show a black man can actually improve himself after an honest mistake.

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