CURTIS LEAK: I DID NOT SAY FLORIDA FANS ARE RACIST. EXCEPT FOR THE RACIST ONES.

by Orson on Jul 24, 2006 10:17 AM EDT

Mmm...in the food groups of content, race-baiting columns have got to be up there with circus peanuts for nutritional content. Terence Moore of the AJC's made a living off selling them, especially to outraged and oddly attentive Georgia fans (see any column involving David Greene and D.J. Shockley for an example.) Our favorite Moore columns include "Why Hasn't the Kentucky Derby Had a Black Champion?", "The Hidden Racism of Sumo Wrestling," and "Peyton Manning is a Teeny-Weenied Cracker Who Couldn't Hold Mike Vick's Tremendous Jock."
Mike Freeman of CBS Sportsline could be accused of taking the same route with his latest piece on Chris Leak and his evolving, ambiguous reputation among Florida fans by quoting a whole lot of anecdotal evidence in his piece accusing Florida fans of letting race dictate their attitudes regarding the former blue-chipper and standard bearer for all that has gone right and wrong with Florida football over the past four years. That is, if he didn't have a few quotes from Curtis Leak, CL's father:

"I think the Gator Nation as a whole is behind Chris, but there are some fans who are not. They will never support him because of his skin color.

I also can't help but think it is difficult for Chris to be a black quarterback in the SEC. You have to be blind to see that is still tough for blacks in general in that conference. The fact you have had only one black head coach in the history of the SEC, which has been around for 100 years, says a lot."

We honestly can't think of any fanbase this couldn't be said of, since there are fans who root for people based on the number of consonants in their nickname. (And they dig players of Slavic descent like you wouldn't believe.) Doesn't seem too outrageous a statement to make, though, especially when Leak does play in the SEC, which has a nastier past in the department of race relations than anyone would care to admit.
Yet building a whole column around the idea that Leak is unfairly slammed on message boards (who isn't?) because he's black seems forced, especially to someone who's watched Leak bear the brunt of the blame for the tumult of post-Spurrier Gatordom. Freeman essentially welded together the wacko email he'd get in response to columns with hearsay, a few talk radio calls he half-remembers, and a few mild quotes from Curtis Leak into an indictment of a sliver of the fanbase most fans would agree should be shot from cannons rather than granted access to the stadium. It's a formula you could install neatly into almost any story involving a black quarterback in any setting:

"I remember when I'd write columns and people would respond with hateful letters calling me a (insert ethnic slur/gag about facial deformity/mocking joke about public and painful divorce.) It always rang true for me because (I worked there/knew a guy/read a book about the place and man, it sounded fucked up.) I've heard people say things in the stands to the same effect. (For best results, repeat until satisfied.)"

The funniest thing about the column is how wrong Freeman is about the basic tenet of the article: that a small group of Florida fans hate Chris Leak because he's black. This couldn't be further from the truth: a small group of Florida fans hate Chris Leak because he's Jewish, something Freeman could have known simply by looking at the Swoosh-bedazzled Nike athletic yarmulke Leak wears between plays on the sideline. Holy unobservant journalism!

That's not the guy Freeman's talking about--surprise!!!

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I’m still waiting on somebody to write a story about Auburn fans hating on Tre Smith because he’s a white running back in the SEC. Until then this stupied race baiting articles should get no respect.

by Ritty on Jul 24, 2006 10:29 AM EDT reply actions

I hate Chris Leak because I heard he has a bigger pecker than me.

Leak better watch his back. I’m out here, and I’m mad.

I also hate that he gets sacked way too much.

by Rome on Jul 24, 2006 10:44 AM EDT reply actions

Is Chris Leak really Jewish? Did he convert like Hall of Famer Rod Carew?

by blah on Jul 24, 2006 11:12 AM EDT reply actions

No.

by Orson Swindle on Jul 24, 2006 11:14 AM EDT reply actions

dude who ever thought that after being given a once-in-a-lifetime blessing with rohan davey, we’d have another insanely big overfed QB in jamarcus russell down on the buy-oh. september the 2nd is near. it is near i tell you!

by S on Jul 24, 2006 11:25 AM EDT reply actions

Leak is black? I thought he was a chick.

by NoleinTexas on Jul 24, 2006 11:34 AM EDT reply actions

I hear Russell can throw the ball from end zone to end zone. Is that true? Can anyone say for sure?
And he is a much better athlete than Davie ever was.

by CHARLIE MURPHEY on Jul 24, 2006 12:55 PM EDT reply actions

Isn’t Leak 1/2 white? I always wonder why people with a white/black parent consider themselves black. i.e. Tiger Woods

I think most fans realize Leak’s a damn good pro style qb that had some growing pains early last year with a new system that was tweaked to better suit his skills.

I don’t pity the fool…. he’ll be makin millions, bangin hot chicks in a couple of years….. wait a minute, after typing that I realize Leak’s probably grudge fuckin some hot chick right now.

Damn that half caucasion-half African American-weird lookin eyes-hot chick bangin………………………………guy

by BamaHamr on Jul 24, 2006 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

Well considering that he wasn’t going to get a GF until he won a national title, I think it’s safe to say he’ll die a virgin.

by NoleinTexas on Jul 24, 2006 1:57 PM EDT reply actions

Funny! Chris doesn’t look jewish!

by Alagator on Jul 24, 2006 2:15 PM EDT reply actions

Low nutritional content, but high sales.

by ohiodawg on Jul 24, 2006 2:37 PM EDT reply actions

Actually, Tiger Woods took some heat when he first exploded from golf phenomena to one of the most famous athletes in America for repeatedly saying he never considered himself black. Essentially, he explained that limiting his identity to black would in effect be denying that part of his family that was not black.

As a child, he invented a racial identity (I think it was called Cablanasian) that encompassed all of his heritage.

There are some fans in the black community who are not behind this. They will never support him because of his mixed heritage and European wife. I also can’t help but think it is difficult for Tiger to be a Cablanasian on the PGA Tour. The fact you have had only one Cablanasian champion in the history of the PGA Tour, which has been around for 90 years, says a lot.

I’m pretty sure CBS Sportsline is working on an expose of this rampant anti-Cablanasian racism in the black community as we speak.

BTW, Orson that guy is part of the problem. From the photo, it appears he is not only a white Southern football fan, but is also given to wearing hats popular in the NASCAR community, as well as a hairstyle uncommon at schools that produce Northeastern educated sportswriters. QED, he is a bigot.

by Chg on Jul 24, 2006 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

I for one think this guy has something especially in the SEC. For years now Ive noticed the lack of black oh shit my bad african american players in the SEC and how the bigotus fans boo and taunt the few black players that their teams will take on just to satisfy the government. Im just glad someone finally pointed out that the fans booing or going crazy over a player that didnt live up to hype immediately had nothing to do with the fact that every school has a percentage of nuts that will snap on anyhting over their team (note: team not school as research has shown that many of said fans did not attend school of which they are a TEAM fan)
That being said I am tired of people trying to make careers off of race, sex or religion just to pander to a certain demographis or stir up trouble. Now if yall will excuse me Ive got some mexicans working my yard and i need to go get change for this dollar to pay them.

by Mark Twain on Jul 24, 2006 4:44 PM EDT reply actions

I had no idea David Crosby was a gator fan.

by MaconDawg on Jul 24, 2006 7:41 PM EDT reply actions

Curtis Leak will always have a problem with anyone who doesn’t bow down to his boys, (excuse me, sons). He painted UT as anti-Leak when the underachieving CJ didn’t get handed the job on a silver platter. It wasn’t racial when you consider that black QB James Banks was more talented and started ahead of Leak. Whatever racism existed in the SEC is scattered and sparse now, rabid SEC fans will turn quick on any player, black or white, when they screw up ie: Erik Ainge. I think Leak Sr. would do well to just shut up and let his sons play, he’s probably more the reason for Chris’ confidence issues than anyone in Gatorland. Anyone at UF who comes in as acclaimed as Leak did, and struggles like he has is fair game for criticism, much like in good old Knoxville.

by VOLPIMP on Jul 24, 2006 7:54 PM EDT reply actions

Pat Dooly nailed it. It’s not because he is black that people don’t want him to break Danny Wuerffel’s records, it’s because he is not Danny Wuerffel!

by Lee on Jul 25, 2006 12:28 PM EDT reply actions