Zach LINE

[Cadillac]

I am not trying to ascribe anything to mrydel or anyone else. I just get tired when comparisons of ability, intelligence, etc. incorporate judgements based on the person's skin color. We are supposed to be beyond all that.

Zach Line isn't a good white running back. He's a good running back. Warren Moon wasn't a good black quarterback. He was a good quarterback. And if someone's style reminds you of someone else it had better not be because the two individuals shared the same racial inheritance.

It gives me pleasure that we can revisit this again.

It's not Line's fault that his style of play reminds people of Riggo. The first time I saw him run down the field with the ball in his hands looking for someone to lay the wood on, Riggo was the first person I thought of. Granted, I spent 6 years in the DC area during the Hog era, so maybe I'm a bit biased, but there are enough similarities beyond melanin to make the comparison, especially when you consider differences made due to the fact that they play in different eras.

Now, if someone were comparing him to, say Craig James, then no. I don't see how that makes sense, and you would have a point.

Nothing has changed since a few weeks back during the sad outcry about the Beas/Welker comparisons.

-CoS

[ponyboy]

Fair enough. I just find it amazing that one rarely compares across race. Are we really THAT different?

[mrydel]

What amazes me is that you always try to equate this to race. I compared Earl Campbell to Coach McKnight. The fact is, in my opinion, Line carries himself in a manner that reminds me of John Riggins, and in no way, in my opinion, runs like Earl Campbell. Sometimes an apple is an apple and does not have to be compared to an orange to be recognized.

When I say that Darryl Fields runs upright in a manner that reminds me of Eric Dickerson am I racist for not comparing him to a white running back?

[ponyboy]

Again, this has nothing to do with you personally. If you haven't seen this phenomenon, you haven't been paying attention. Good for you that you're not personally affected by it.

[Big Hoss]

What amazes me is that you always try to equate this to race. I compared Earl Campbell to Coach McKnight. The fact is, in my opinion, Line carries himself in a manner that reminds me of John Riggins, and in no way, in my opinion, runs like Earl Campbell. Sometimes an apple is an apple and does not have to be compared to an orange to be recognized.

When I say that Darryl Fields runs upright in a manner that reminds me of Eric Dickerson am I racist for not comparing him to a white running back?

Couldn't agree more. Do we have to assume that because he was compared to a white running back that the only reason the person made the comparison is because of the mutual color of their skin?

For as much as we want to move beyond skin color, automatically jumping to the conclusion that the comparison was only drawn because of race only helps to perpetuate the stereo-type.

[The PonyGrad]

What amazes me is that you always try to equate this to race. I compared Earl Campbell to Coach McKnight. The fact is, in my opinion, Line carries himself in a manner that reminds me of John Riggins, and in no way, in my opinion, runs like Earl Campbell. Sometimes an apple is an apple and does not have to be compared to an orange to be recognized.

When I say that Darryl Fields runs upright in a manner that reminds me of Eric Dickerson am I racist for not comparing him to a white running back?

Couldn't agree more. Do we have to assume that because he was compared to a white running back that the only reason the person made the comparison is because of the mutual color of their skin?

For as much as we want to move beyond skin color, automatically jumping to the conclusion that the comparison was only drawn because of race only helps to perpetuate the stereo-type.

Amen to that.

If you look at everything with a racial lens you will find what you are looking for.

[ponyboy]

When someone looks at Cody Cardwell and says he's a poor man's Wes Welker, it's they who are looking through a racial lens. I mean, can't you come up with a better comparison than two guys who just happen to be white? I thought the same about the Line/Riggins comparison. There have been a handful of white running backs in the NFL and a white guy is the only comparison we can come up with? It's simple statistics man.

[Nacho]

i love it when you get a shovel in your hands. keep digging.

[Big Hoss]

When someone looks at Cody Cardwell and says he's a poor man's Wes Welker, it's they who are looking through a racial lens. I mean, can't you come up with a better comparison than two guys who just happen to be white? I thought the same about the Line/Riggins comparison. There have been a handful of white running backs in the NFL and a white guy is the only comparison we can come up with? It's simple statistics man.

So let me get this straight, any time we compare two people for whatever reason and they are of the same race, that comparison is basically myopic? Seems rather shallow to me that one would automatically make that assumption, but whatever suits your fancy.

[ponyboy]

There's micro and macro. On the micro level, perhaps the Line/Riggins comparison really is completely blind to the fact that both are of northern European lineage. If so, that's cool. I'm not trying to indict anyone -- and don't think myself so wise I can read minds. But you do have to admit it would be rather odd from a statistical perspective, though, wouldn't it? 99.9% of all running backs are black. I show you this one running back, Line, and in scanning your memory banks you come up with John Riggins, a guy who hasn't seen the field in many, many years? And a guy who also happens to be white? Granting zero racial bias, isn't that an amazing coincidence?

On a macro level I think we as a society really believe that white people are genetically inferior in the skill sports but genetically superior in intelligence, and that it's only the odd hard working, "wily" white guy who makes it through to running back. And, though they're dumber than white people, sometimes a black athlete's athleticism is simply too much to ignore and they "get" to play quarterback. I say [deleted] to that societal presupposition.

[mrydel]

So if someone compares me to my father, who I do physically favor, they are a racist because they did not point out that I have the good looks of Denzel Washington.

[jtstang]

Let's just compare all players to the late great Michael Jackson and cover all our bases.

[ponyboy]

So if someone compares me to my father, who I do physically favor, they are a racist because they did not point out that I have the good looks of Denzel Washington.

This is not about physical appearance. It's about how a person plays the game, their style of play. I don't have near your football knowledge, but I say Zach Line plays much more like Earl Campbell than John Riggins. Riggins was slow, clunky, unathletic. Campbell was big, athletic, and seemed to relish contact.

[mrydel]

So it is not racial, you just do not agree with me. In my opinion, Line runs in a style very similar to Riggins, who by the out ran many defenders. And in my opinion, Line in no way mimicks the style of Earl Campbell. No color thing at all. I just do not agree with what you think.

[ponyboy]

That's cool. Glad to be wrong, that you're not one of the millions of Americans that share this cultural assumption that leads them to make such comparisons. What an amazing statistical coincidence.