THEORY ON WHY THE CASTE SYSTEM EXISTS

[Catholic_Hammer]

Well, this theory isn't that there truly is a "caste system", but why there seems to be a "caste system" in football (at all levels).

It starts in the "little leagues".

When kids start playing football, the biggest athletes get put on the offensive line, because scoring points is the key, and you can't score without a strong offensive line. Since most of the kids will be playing on both sides of the ball, those same big kids will play defensive line and linebacker.

The smaller, but not necessarily more "athletic" kids will be put in both the offensive and defensive backfields, where their lack of strength won't be a hindrance - except for the fullback, which will be a kid who isn't quite strong enough to be on the line, but still stronger than the rest of the backs.

The quarterback will be the of the smaller kids, and will be the one that seems to have the most "football sense", later in high school he will continue to be successful if he can throw the football (a little bit).

SO, it seems that White kids are stronger, if not bigger than Black kids. Coaches know that it doesn't matter who is running the ball if there are 5 defenders tackling him behind the line of scrimmage. The coach then puts the strongest/biggest kids on the offensive line (the White kids) and lets the smaller/weaker Black kids run the ball. Same theory on defense - except when it comes to college, the strongest of the strongest White kids are all playing offensive line, and rarely does a team have enough strong White kids to be able to sacrifice one to play on the defensive line, but they are willing to sacrifice some fullbacks to play linebacker (my thinking is that coaches consider the linebacker position to be more important than the fullback).

This moves forward into the NFL where you have absolutely amazing White athletes on the offensive line (guys that are 6-4 300+ pounds and agile as a gymnast) and adequately athletic Blacks playing the so-called "skilled positions". American society is built upon "individualism", so the amazing team effort put forward by the offensive line week after week is overshadowed by the individual accomplishments of the (usually White) quarterback and (usually Black) running backs/receivers.

Compare this with the European game of Rugby football where a strong forward pack is collectively recognized, and is made up of 16 of the 30 players on the field, with the backs having virtually nothing to do with the outcome of a scrum.

My point is: it is not only the "caste system" that keeps White athletes from excelling in the NFL, but the nature of the game at the lowest levels, and the nature of American society and it's enthronement of the individual. The best way to fight the "caste system" is to fight recognizing individuals, and start promoting the best all-White or nearly-all-White offensive line. New England Patriot's offensive line, for example. Those guys have had more to do with their success than any of the seemingly interchangeable Black offensive backs. Talking up the Indianapolis offensive line would work just as well! Really, any great offensive line is anchored by White athletes, it's time we do what we can to let the world know!

 

[lumsdenpower]

That doesnt show to me why they always switched the white running back to fullback or LB in college..

 

[Catholic_Hammer]

That doesnt show to me why they always switched the white running back to fullback or LB in college..

Because having a strong linebacker or fullback is more important in the higher levels than having a strong running back. Running backs just need to be quick, not both quick and strong, like a fullback or linebacker. The Black kids can run the ball, but they can't block. The White kids can do both, so, since you need blockers, the White kids end up being fullbacks.

No one would ever put a weaker fullback in front of a stronger running back - it's just not the way the game of football is played.

As long as Whites are stronger than Blacks they will play the positions that require their strengths - linemen, fullbacks, and linebackers, in that order.

 

[backrow]

yeah, that explains why NFL has only 1 white runningback and only a handful of fullbacks, same goes for college football.

 

[Catholic_Hammer]

yeah, that explains why NFL has only 1 white runningback and only a handful of fullbacks, same goes for college football.

Actually, if you understood my argument, it does explain it.

If you are White and NFL material, chances are that you will be on the offensive line.

See Ricardo's comparative advantageEdited by: Catholic_Hammer

 

[backrow]

right, every single white guy in the NFL must be an offensive linemen... what are you on about?

 

[Catholic_Hammer]

right, every single white guy in the NFL must be an offensive linemen... what are you on about?

Not "must" but, in general, IS.

It starts at the bottom, where in integrated schools, the stronger White kids ARE the offensive line, defensive line, and linebackers. The smaller, weaker Black kids ARE the running backs and receivers, the one position that requires almost no strength.

The higher up you go, the more the positions will be segregated, based on comparative advantage. A team is at a great advantage to have all of it's White athletes to be offensive linemen, linebackers, and, occasionally fullbacks. Even more rare is to find great White athletes in the NFL that are weak enough to play offensive and defensive backs, and receivers. White kids that are not athletic don't play sports, unlike Black kids. Black kids are reinforced to play sports, despite their obvious weaknesses, compared to White kids. Smaller, weaker, yet maybe faster White kids play soccer, tennis, baseball, etc. but NOT football.

THAT is my whole point - football is a "self selecting" sport, where some people choose to participate and others choose not to participate. White kids are reinforced to play the positions requiring strength because, on average, Whites are stronger than Blacks, and Blacks are placed in the positions that require less strength. Could an all-White team compete against racially mixed teams? Of course they can! I'm not claiming otherwise. What I am saying is that in an integrated society the weaker Blacks will continue to play the positions requiring less strength, that is backs and receivers.

 

[Kiwi]

I think your theory has one really big hole in it - not every white person is built like Alan Faneca or Igor Olshanky, just like every black guy isn't as fast as Devan Hester. No matter how many hours Wes Welker puts into the gym, he ain't gonna become an NFL lineman. Even if a higher proportion of blacks are predisposed to "speed" positions, due to the much higher white population in the USA, there still shouldn't be anything like the number of blacks in the NFL.

 

[SteveB]

right, every single white guy in the NFL must be an offensive linemen... what are you on about?

Not "must" but, in general, IS.

It starts at the bottom, where in integrated schools, the stronger White kids ARE the offensive line, defensive line, and linebackers. The smaller, weaker Black kids ARE the running backs and receivers, the one position that requires almost no strength.

The higher up you go, the more the positions will be segregated, based on comparative advantage. A team is at a great advantage to have all of it's White athletes to be offensive linemen, linebackers, and, occasionally fullbacks. Even more rare is to find great White athletes in the NFL that are weak enough to play offensive and defensive backs, and receivers. White kids that are not athletic don't play sports, unlike Black kids. Black kids are reinforced to play sports, despite their obvious weaknesses, compared to White kids. Smaller, weaker, yet maybe faster White kids play soccer, tennis, baseball, etc. but NOT football.

THAT is my whole point - football is a "self selecting" sport, where some people choose to participate and others choose not to participate. White kids are reinforced to play the positions requiring strength because, on average, Whites are stronger than Blacks, and Blacks are placed in the positions that require less strength. Could an all-White team compete against racially mixed teams? Of course they can! I'm not claiming otherwise. What I am saying is that in an integrated society the weaker Blacks will continue to play the positions requiring less strength, that is backs and receivers.

How do you explain the all white high school football teams that are perennial powerhouses, where all of the skill positions are white? In every state, there are white kids that are all-state at RB, WR, and DB, yet they don't get recruited into college. That is where the caste system filters out the top white talent. The kids either play at a lower tier school, walk-on to a major program (which is very tough to get playing time over a kid that the school has invested thousands of dollars), or they give up football.

I am not denying that slotting occurs, because I know that it does, but it is not for the reasons that you mention. It is the coaches, based on stereotypes, that assign kids to these positions at the lower levels. Edited by: SteveB

 

[Deadlift]

Why has the DT spot become yet another "taboo" -- very few Whites allowed -- position?

Could it be the fact that DT's get more glory than Centers or Guards?

And, what are the odds that some big and athletic Whites slotted for the O-Line would be beasts on the D-Line?

Gotta limit the amount of glory Whitey can get..

 

[Bronk]

I think your theory has a lot of weight, Hammer.

Speaking as someone who has two kids playing football in high school and has watched them move through the kid ranks into junior high and now HS, I have tracked their progress and the progress of their white, black and mestizo teammates.

My youngest son is a freshman and is finally getting to play QB after spending years playing DE, OT, DB, WR. The kid has a rocket for an arm but was rarely let near the QB spot because some black coach's son (Pop Warner) or brother (junior high)had the position. My son is about 6' 180 libs and pretty strong so coaches sort of don't know what to do with him. FINALLY, he got to HS where ability matters most and the coaches put him at QB. The QB who started over him in junior high last year (black kid whose brother coached the team) is sitting on the bench.

My oldest son is a big cat, 6'-4" 210-215 libs and a junior. He has played both sides of the line, mostly at tackle. Now he's a varsity TE and fullback.Edited by: Bronk