I stopped being a masochist and do not follow or
watch the NFL. I believe the decade of the 1960s was the last , that
whites players had a fair chance to compete with blacks for ALL
positions. I was looking at mid to late 1960s rosters of top
NFL/AFL teams and
of course, this was well before the NFL instituted their goal of making
their league " white free". It was interesting to note that there were
a good number of black players. But whites were the majority and were
allowed to play any position including the sacred CB, running back and
wide
receivers. It was interesting that unlike, baseball prior to 1947
when
there were no blacks, whites competed and beat outs black "supermen
"for most of the skill positions .The blacks were on the rosters and
had their chances and won some starting positions but white starters
were as good or better. This will put the lie to the argument that
whites are not "athletic enough" . A good example is the 1969 New York
Jets (their only superbowl champion). They had to beat the KC Chiefs
which were first team to institute a caste system ( I believe by the
early 1970s they only had 2 whites on their starting defense:Johnny
Robinson and Jim Lynch). The number of whites in the starting
lineup
of the Jets in 1969 Superbowl were 9 whites on
offense and 8
whites. As I pointed out there had been no lack of opportunity for
blacks ,especially in the AFL to win starting positions . Joe Namath
didn't need "brothers" to catch the ball for the 4,000 plus
yards he passed for in a 14 game season . The Jets
receivers from the mid 60's until they won the superbowl were all
white:Bake Turner, Jim Turner, Don Maynard ( several 1,000 +
yards 14 game seasons) George Sauer Jr. (led the AFL in catches
in 1969)and Pete Lammons
What was different was the SEC ,and the top Texas schools ,among others
,gave white athletes the chance to play all the skill positions and
excel. All 5 of the aforementioned Jets receivers played at schools
such Texas El Paso ,U of Texas . The black players had their schools so
both groups had equal chances to learn each position and excel.
Of Course, now the all the top conferences and teams are reserved for
blacks only,with whites allowed to occasionally fill the least
desirable positions Even if blacks were not recruited by the SEC
until the late 1960's they had schools to attend that the NFL took very
seriously e.g Grambling, Jackson state , Florida A&M. Whites now
have only division 3 colleges to get a chance to play all
positions. What is different now ,however, is the NFL doesn't consider
any white Division 3 college player as NFL material except for the
occasional undrafted player who may rarely work his way onto a roster.
watch the NFL. I believe the decade of the 1960s was the last , that
whites players had a fair chance to compete with blacks for ALL
positions. I was looking at mid to late 1960s rosters of top
NFL/AFL teams and
of course, this was well before the NFL instituted their goal of making
their league " white free". It was interesting to note that there were
a good number of black players. But whites were the majority and were
allowed to play any position including the sacred CB, running back and
wide
receivers. It was interesting that unlike, baseball prior to 1947
when
there were no blacks, whites competed and beat outs black "supermen
"for most of the skill positions .The blacks were on the rosters and
had their chances and won some starting positions but white starters
were as good or better. This will put the lie to the argument that
whites are not "athletic enough" . A good example is the 1969 New York
Jets (their only superbowl champion). They had to beat the KC Chiefs
which were first team to institute a caste system ( I believe by the
early 1970s they only had 2 whites on their starting defense:Johnny
Robinson and Jim Lynch). The number of whites in the starting
lineup
of the Jets in 1969 Superbowl were 9 whites on
offense and 8
whites. As I pointed out there had been no lack of opportunity for
blacks ,especially in the AFL to win starting positions . Joe Namath
didn't need "brothers" to catch the ball for the 4,000 plus
yards he passed for in a 14 game season . The Jets
receivers from the mid 60's until they won the superbowl were all
white:Bake Turner, Jim Turner, Don Maynard ( several 1,000 +
yards 14 game seasons) George Sauer Jr. (led the AFL in catches
in 1969)and Pete Lammons
What was different was the SEC ,and the top Texas schools ,among others
,gave white athletes the chance to play all the skill positions and
excel. All 5 of the aforementioned Jets receivers played at schools
such Texas El Paso ,U of Texas . The black players had their schools so
both groups had equal chances to learn each position and excel.
Of Course, now the all the top conferences and teams are reserved for
blacks only,with whites allowed to occasionally fill the least
desirable positions Even if blacks were not recruited by the SEC
until the late 1960's they had schools to attend that the NFL took very
seriously e.g Grambling, Jackson state , Florida A&M. Whites now
have only division 3 colleges to get a chance to play all
positions. What is different now ,however, is the NFL doesn't consider
any white Division 3 college player as NFL material except for the
occasional undrafted player who may rarely work his way onto a roster.