Wednesday, November 15, 2006

The Post Where We Carefully Insinuate that Peter King Might Be Subtly Racist

We at Kissing Suzy Kolber are admittedly biased. We don't tolerate fools, douchebags, or fat chicks (although if she's a little thick in the britches...). And we certainly have little love for Peter King. As you can see here. Or here. Ummm... or here. And especially here.

So while you read this, keep in mind that it's coming from a decidedly anti-Peter King slant. Nevertheless, I think the case presented below precludes the need for us to call this otherwise nice, dorky middle-aged man ugly names. I've written this before, then deleted it from the Internet, and I'll write it again: we want no quarrel with Peter King. We just feel it is our duty to occasionally police media douchebaggery.

Or, in this case, what might be -- if you were the kind of person to pay attention to such things -- thinly veiled racism. In this week's MMQB and TMQB columns, King ranks (and then defends) his selections for the top five coaches and top five quarterbacks with whom to start a franchise.

Here are his top five coaches, in picture form (click to enlarge):


And here are King's top five franchise quarterbacks (if you mathletes count six, that's because Hasselbeck and Rivers tied for fifth):


Notice anything unusual about that list? Diligent KSK reader Michael does:

Quite the fair-skinned bunch wouldn't you say? King goes on to defend his pick of Saban in the top 5 by saying he is too smart of a coach to leave off the list and pointing towards the Dolphins' last two wins, apparently we are supposed to ignore the abomination that was the first half of their season. There is no explanation why Dungy, who took Tampa to the cusp of the Super Bowl and has led Indy to the first back to back 9-0 season starts ever, is so far down the list.

As far as McNabb not cracking his top 5 QBs (in fact he is #8 behind Carson Palmer as well) King says that he blames McNabb more for the Eagles' failures than he does Manning for that of the Colts'. However, King seems to have no problem moving McNabb's coach up on his list ahead of Manning's.
Damn. Gold star for Michael, right?

(Personally, I'd also wonder why Saban gets so much credit for a season and half of almost-.500 ball, while Lovie Smith has produced much greater results -- with not much more talent -- in just one more year of experience.)

Now, I don't think King is overtly racist (not that I'm looking to make excuses for him). After all, he's eager to support jolly but unqualified black men like Jerome Bettis for the Hall of Fame, and he has long criticized NFL owners for not being more proactive in interviewing and hiring minority coaches.

But I guess his standards for what's right only apply to other people, since when it comes time for him to pick his coach, no person of color cracks the top five.

16 comments:

Signal to Noise said...

Obviously, Lovie should be on the top five, but so should Tony Dungy, even if all he does is stay out of Peyton's way. At the very least, Dungy should knock Saban off that top five.

swing4 said...

Oy. Please tell me that FF retains his 1/2 blogger status by agreeing to act as your legal counsel should you be sued by PK, SI, or any of SI's affiliates.

I have only these two words of caution for you: conjugal visits.

Carry on.

The Big Picture said...

so that's why denny green isn't on the list.

Grimey said...

I don't think Marc Bulger should be on this list until he reads a Jeopardy! clue.

Grimey said...

"... I really like the upside of Philip Rivers a lot (over McNabb)" = "I wouldn't be upset if Philip Rivers drunkenly derailed my daughter...."

Angelos said...

Apropos of nothing, it must be Friday in Fox's world.

Cheerleader bonanza!

http://www.foxnews.com/fncimag/index.html

Unsilent Majority said...

they stole my ea-gal!

Angelos said...

Yes, UM, yes they did.

Worldwide Reader said...

Best part of the whole thing is the title of the column: "Silencing the Critics."

I talked to Philip Rivers after the game, and he told me that win was HUGE for his maturation process ...

E Buzz said...

Why the fuck wasn't Ted Cotrell on that list???

doug_plank said...

Is that second Jeopardy picture Little Douche Bag Eli Manning?

I would take McNabb, Brees, and Leinart before that little snot bubble.

Unsilent Majority said...

no doug, that's brees. the birthmark should have told you so

Captain Caveman said...

Nope. The Big O has a different first name, and those sentences are far too well-crafted.

JPJ said...

there was also an 8/28 column by king in which he was basically blowing chris simms, marveling at how he seems respected by the black players on the team. and he made this statement: "I always wonder how the white kid with the silver spoon fits with the black players with no silver spoons." and i wrote him this comment which i never expected him to address, but still:

While I think you were trying to make a positive point about Simms, I think you completely demeaned and dehumanized the black players you named. Even assuming that your statement was based on some set of specific facts concerning the upbringings of Galloway, Barber, Williams, Brooks, and Smith (which I doubt), it just reeks of easy racial stereotyping. Your clear implication was that these black players are from a rough background and are thus less open to being friendly with someone like Simms. It does not give any credit to these players as human beings in their own right that there is a strong relationship with Simms, and gives all the credit to Simms as if he is some type of football-playing Lawrence of Arabia. At minimum, you are unfairly describing these players with a quick sound-bite that does no justice to them as individuals. I know nothing about these players' socioeconomic circumstances growing up, but I do know that they're generally viewed as very different from the stereotypical rough, poor, guarded, and untrusting black guy you portray. It's widely known that Ronde Barber is one half of a very accomplished and thoughtful twin tandem. Alex Smith was an economics major at Stanford, according to his website. Joey Galloway was an Academic All-American, from what I remember. And I don't recall hearing negative things about Brooks or Cadillac. So what is so surprising that they might get along with Simms if he's someone worth getting along with? From what I can tell as an average Jets fan from afar, these are thoughtful, quality guys (seemingly more so than most NFL players, regardless of race), no matter their background, deserving of far more than your careless, broadbrush portrayal of them.

genius said...

fuck him. Phillip-fucking-Rivers???

ass.

reelpeel said...

Peter King,,, thank goodness u are in the land of the free. Its unfortunate that a person of your reach has such bias. In other societies u'd be lynched. But then again u probaly represent a good population. Good Bless the USA