Why white RB's let themselves be fullbackified

[referendum]

In pondering why so many white runningbacks who proved themselves to be tailbacks in college let themselves be magically transformed into human battering rams, I've come up with a few thoughts.
I believe that they realize that if they insisted on only trying for a tailback position that they would be out of the league soon after their first bad game. Consider the case of Heath Evans. He was called out of nowhere by the Pats (wasn't he working construction in Florida or something) in 2006 and was the feature back for a game or two, did very well, but then reverted to fullback once the affletes were back.
Now, if he had insisted that he was only a tailback he would be back in construction right now, instead of having signed a contract of over a million dollars with the Saints. Of course his contract should be much more as a tailback.
Same thing with Hillis. If he wasn't so flexible, he too would be long gone, thrown out with the various black nobodies who the Broncos dredged up last year. Instead he's firmly entrenched as a "fullback" which is preposterous of course, but again, at least he's on the team for the forseeable future.
In essence becoming a fullback is a form of settling for less, taking the path of least resistance. We'd love it if one white runningback would speak up about this, but even as less respected underpaid fullbacks they are still making hundreds of thousands of dollars more per year than they would as non-players. Its kind of like they've been coopted by the system, given chump change to keep quiet. But in the NFL, chump change is still a lot of money compared to life outside the league.Edited by: referendum

 

[WHITE NOISE]

The economic aspect and prestige of "playing" in the NFL keeps our white brothers accepting crumbs when they should be enjoying the banquet. However, a good number of white fullbacks do tend to stay in the league for many years, so it is in a sense job security.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Good analysis WN. These men are probably in a "forced" pigeon hole...either play FB & get reps (if even on Special Teams) or demand to play RB and get benched or cut.

 

[white is right]

This isn't new. Back in the 70's I recall older tailbacks(mostly white) being converted to fullback to prolong their careers. The difference is that these guys actually played tailback for a number of years before converting. Now it's one season at best. Also back then fullbacks still got their number called quite a bit.

 

[whiteathlete33]

I'd like to see Owen Schmitt get some carries. He could be a good powerback. This is highly unlikely though as he received all of 5 carries last season. Justin Griffith is the starting fullback.

 

[j41181]

Why then be a footballer when you (white dude) will only accept a crummy position for the sake of job security???

Another reason to put it... white coaches and owners see MONEY and LONGEVITY in black players. While white players are easily expendable, as in injury prone (except a QB). One interesting fact, black players (NBA, NFL, Boxing) are known for their irrational behavior. Such behaviors, the drunk media loves very much, compared to a often well-behaved white athlete, who gets little or no attention. That's where the silent majority (ordinary folks) tend admire the low-key white athletes though.

I really miss the good ol' days when there were white superstar athletes who possessed charisma and bravado like Larry Bird. Not low-key and somewhat dull like Dirk Nowitzki.

 

[dwid]

The last White runningback to go over 1,000 yards (4.7 ypc), got enough carries to do so by demanding to the coach that he should get more carries. Craig James, but maybe Raymond Berry was more of a fair coach at the time.

Coaches use White guys as backups because they accept the role. That way when an afflete gets injured there is a White player that can step in with no drop off in talent, but dwfs never see that, they just can wait until their superstar afflete comes back because they think their is some drop off in talent. Like when Zach Strief filled in for Jammal Brown at LT for the Saints, performed well but never seen as more than a backup. Then Jermon Bushrod gets the start at LT now that Brown was out for the season, needs help the entire season from either Strief or a tight end, and gets beat when he doesn't, is perceived as starting material with so much "uspide"

White players aren't any more injury prone than black players. How many games has Bob Sanders played in? At skill positions Whites do have to give it a 100 percent at all times, and play through minor injuries which usually makes them worse, otherwise they can lose their starting jobs. A black skill position can have a sore ankle, not play for several games, have a White guy outplay him and still have his job guaranteed for him when he 100 percent.Edited by: dwid

 

[Don Wassall]

Why then be a footballer when you (white dude) will only accept a crummy position for the sake of job security???

Another reason to put it... white coaches and owners see MONEY and LONGEVITY in black players. While white players are easily expendable, as in injury prone (except a QB). One interesting fact, black players (NBA, NFL, Boxing) are known for their irrational behavior. Such behaviors, the drunk media loves very much, compared to a often well-behaved white athlete, who gets little or no attention. That's where the silent majority (ordinary folks) tend admire the low-key white athletes though.

I really miss the good ol' days when there were white superstar athletes who possessed charisma and bravado like Larry Bird. Not low-key and somewhat dull like Dirk Nowitzki.

I don't agree. Blacks are notorious for having their abilities fade quickly. Just notice how few of them can play football at a level approaching their peak after the age of 29 or 30. White o-linemen often play well into their mid-30s while White quarterbacksoften play at a high level until their late 30s and sometimes beyond, while Duante Culpepper and Steve McNair (and likely McNabb) typify how fast black QBs lose it.

In baseball Whites on average stay at the top of their game far longer than blacks, especially pitchers.

As far as injuries, it's almost impossible to watch an NFL game without seeing a series of blacks writhing on theturfas ifthey're close to death, or laying paralyzed on the field. White WRs do seem a bit injury prone (as they all have a big bullseye on their back), but just check the NFL's weekly injury report; blacks usually are represented in numbers greater than their percentage of the league's players. The main reason most NFL teams have gone to "running backs by committee" is because few black RBs have the durability anymore toget many touches without getting injured.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Great point Don. If it wasn't for the caste NFL trying to push blacks into playing longer despite their stinking it up, the differences in longevity between White and black NFL players would be even more pronounced.

 

[celticdb15]

"I really miss the good ol' days when there were white superstar athletes who possessed charisma and bravado like Larry Bird. Not low-key and somewhat dull like Dirk Nowitzki."

I agree. Theclosest and only guy I can think of is Brock Lesnar. I'm not his biggest fan,I usually cheer for the more soft spoken athletes(GSP)but it's nice to see a white athlete with some swagger and is confident in his abilities.

 

[whiteathlete33]

A white running back has no margin for error. He either needs to play great or he'll be replaced.