"Upside"

[Jack Armstrong]

How did the trope of describing black athletes as having "tremendous upside" ever gain currency? While there are certainly many great black athletes, the negro typically matures earlier than the white, and therefore any random late teen early 20s white athlete will have a lot more "upside" than his black counterpart.

Discussion?

 

[Awake in America]

How did the trope of describing black athletes as having "tremendous upside" ever gain currency? While there are certainly many great black athletes, the negro typically matures earlier than the white, and therefore any random late teen early 20s white athlete will have a lot more "upside" than his black counterpart.

Discussion?

You've given a lot of the answer in framing the question. Coaches and fans assume that those muscular black kids in the 8th grade will simply continue to pack on muscle and grow at the same rate as the white kids who they already lead on average in physical maturity (and age). They also assume that blacks have never had any coaching, never practiced or worked out, and just need the resources that have been unfairly kept from them by "The Man". The thinking is Cultural Marxist in a very literal sense.

 

[Average American]

Discussion?

Jack, yeah.. 'upside' is a generous euphemism that highlights, to me, both the agenda, and the dishonesty, of sports media. When a Black athlete doesn't seem to have the prerequisite, technical skill set for a position (like QB), a friendly media will patronizingly sell the public on the athlete's nebulous upside to compensate.

It seems a lot of out-of-shape, bacon-wrapped, DWFs, who may have never played sports, don't understand the value of hand-eye coordination, technique, etc. The DWF "thinking" goes: if a prospect can run fast, and/or is built like Lou Ferrigno.. he'll be able overcome the inability to throw with touch, read defenses, stay calm under pressure..

Obviously there are hard-to-measure intangibles for all athletes, but upside is a cultural-Marxist sales job.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Jack, yeah.. 'upside' is a generous euphemism that highlights, to me, both the agenda, and the dishonesty, of sports media. When a Black athlete doesn't seem to have the prerequisite, technical skill set for a position (like QB), a friendly media will patronizingly sell the public on the athlete's nebulous upside to compensate.

It seems a lot of out-of-shape, bacon-wrapped, DWFs, who may have never played sports, don't understand the value of hand-eye coordination, technique, etc. The DWF "thinking" goes: if a prospect can run fast, and/or is built like Lou Ferrigno.. he'll be able overcome the inability to throw with touch, read defenses, stay calm under pressure..

Obviously there are hard-to-measure intangibles for all athletes, but upside is a cultural-Marxist sales job.

You mean the same jock sniffing afrolete worshipping pukes who spent their Sunday playing "dress-up" like little girls? The same brew swilling buffoons who run around wearing another man's name & # on their backs (like the affletes' "b1tch")? Yeh, those pathetic DWFs "opinions" hold as much credence as does a little kid playing "make believe".

 

[Average American]

You mean the same jock sniffing.., brew swilling buffoons who run around wearing another man's name & # on their backs ?...

Yeah, they're the ones. Usually found in their natural habitat, the closest Hooter's, and/or Buffalo Wild Wings. Adorned in Lebron & RG3 jerseys, arms coated with meaningless tattoos (including the standard Chinese characters for bravery & strength) clutching their Bud Light Limes. Their women in tow, also looking like cloned Fred Dursts, in jerseys & fitted caps.. The ladies bonding w/their men, screaming at the big screen all thru the 'Bama-Auburn game.. subsequent emotions running too hot, boil into misguided, post-game, parking-lot domestic disputes.

To me, all this ^ could be fun .. except it seems like the DWF life is more tragic than pleasurable. It's like an obsessive, collaborative escapism from the collapsing civilization around us.