Diamond Dog wrote:Goat Boy wrote:When they talk about racism and sexism within the game, just how bad (allegedly) is it?
He is basically saying that the majority of college/NFL players are black. Disproportionately huge numbers. He is questioning whether there would be the same enthusiasm for the sport if it was white guys getting their brains smashed - and being cheered by on by a (predominantly) black audience... it's an interesting reversal of where it now sits.
The argument for sexism is fairly obvious - cheerleaders, in this day and age, seem almost beyond belief really. That's one of the obvious examples.
I'm sure Sloop and other American posters could enlighten more.
When you look at the pros, you're only looking at the tip of the iceberg re: football.
Basketball is the blackest sport, football the next at around 60%/40% would be my bet, and baseball the most white.
But you have to look at American demographics and its popularity when you analyze it. Pete, you're only a pro football fan, but you should talk to your friend Chris about college football, because he lives in the hotbed of college football, Florida and the South. American football is still popular all over, but football in the south is dominated by the Big 12, the SEC, the ACC, and other smaller leagues. Football is religion from Texas to Florida, south of the Mason-Dixon line.
One of my buddies from California, now lives in Louisiana, and his son is a senior in high school. He posts videos on Facebook and the stands are filled like a college game.
The South also has large poor, black populations, and sports is a lucrative way out.
That said, University of Alabama's top recruit is a guy named Najee Harris from my neck o' the woods, but his life story follows a traditional path of homelessness and no money.
Re: the domestic violence. Football players are told to be ultra-aggressive and I think that attitude leaks off the field. Throw in steroids and PEDs and it's a recipe for disaster.