Washington Wizards: John Wall, Colin Cowherd and the Continuing Battle of Race

By Nithin Kuchibhotla | Feb 4, 2016

Jan 3, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) looks up at the scoreboard against the Miami Heat in the second quarter at Verizon Center. The Heat won 97-75. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Washington Wizards: John Wall, Colin Cowherd and the Continuing Battle of Race

The Colin Cowherd and John Wall saga is a non-story that has picked up an incomprehensible amount of steam for several years running. It features a disgraced, racist talking head spewing nonsense about a kid who happens to be really good at basketball and as it were, dancing.

The history is well documented, as D.C. sports guru Dan Steinberg reports on each instance with unparalleled detail and bemusement.

But the most recent comment Cowherd made (“What’s the difference between Johnny Manziel and John Wall?”) stuck out more than most, because it’s so outlandish that it almost creates its own platform.

That philosophy makes me wonder not just what a guy like Cowherd is thinking, but what the views of the world are from the demographic he represents. While there’s no need to debate the validity of the statement, there is something to be said about this prevailing notion, years after it serves any meaning or merit.

Athletics are a truly unique spectrum of the American economy.

The public has more direct access to sports figures than it does to any other person of significance in other industries (imagine Adele or Mark Zuckerberg forced to speak at a news conference 100 times a year).

We have 24 hour news cycles on any number of publications and the infusion of advanced analytics have allowed those who are detached from each sport to grab a computer, fire up Excel and join in on the dissection.

Public salary information causes great anxiety as we extoll players making 10 MILLION DOLLARS to play a child’s game, while eagerly awaiting the release of Captain America: Civil War, and unknowingly supporting Robert Downey Jr.’s $70 million payday (it should be noted, I do not question or disapprove of anyone’s compensation. The market sets the price, and for someone to cash in is just capitalism in its truest form. And yes, that includes the Kardashians).

But there’s another level that goes beyond just being an athlete that brings out a visceral nature in the public that seems counterproductive to society’s progression.

The initial subject of this piece, Washington Wizards guard John Wall, is one of those polarizing types.

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Since he’s come into the NBA, he’s been nothing but a model citizen.

He’s improved his play on the court year after year to the tune of 3 straight All-star appearances.

He’s donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to various Washington D.C. and Raleigh philanthropic efforts and occasionally lives life exactly as you would as a 25-year-old with seemingly unlimited money.

Wall has never gotten trouble off the court.

The most controversial thing he’s done is get inked up after originally claiming he was against the idea of tattoos.

So why is it that Cowherd and others around the country find it necessary to prod his persona, his intelligence, and his leadership?

Is it due to certain flaws on his game that stick out as obvious? Is it because he does not come off as articulate? Or because he doesn’t have the charisma necessary to be a leading pitchman?

To the contrary, Wall plays hard every night on a mediocre team. He is insightful in the interviews he gives, speaking from the heart and providing atypical responses in situations where others may just read from the Athlete Handbook.

The reality is, he’s a shy person, who doesn’t love the spotlight outside of the one shining on the basketball court. He dances because he’s good at it and he’s excited to achieve his dream.

But because he’s from a rough neighborhood, still maintains the same friendships as when he was growing up, and faced his fair share of adversity, we don’t understand him. And for that we judge him.

That might be the larger issue in play, and an issue that deserves a much longer discourse.

But there has always existed an interesting dichotomy between fans and players, almost as if we view them as gladiators who compete for our entertainment.

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We see this pop up when a star running back blows an ACL, thus killing off a number of fantasy teams’ title hopes.

Or when a key player sits out a playoff game to nurse an injury that his fan base is confident he’s just milking to be healthy for upcoming free agency.

This dichotomy worsens when considering the cultural differences among a primarily white fan base with a mostly black athlete population.

In fact, the whiteness extends to coaches, front office personnel, owners, and even media types.

The percentage breakdown of each segment is evident and despite efforts to improve one or the other, we still have only 1 black owner across the four major professional sports (random guy named Michael Jordan) and the continued implementation (and failure) of the Rooney Rule.

This conversation seems especially relevant on the cusp of Super Bowl 50, as Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will likely garner equal amounts of awards and criticism for his work this season.

For every article praising his incredible talent, there were counterpoints criticizing his lack of humility, including some hilariously ignorant open letters.

But the same voices who slam Newton’s (and Wall’s) dancing find humor in Drew Stanton racing down the sideline in celebration and consider the antics of Monmouth’s bench crew just signs of boys having fun.

Here in 2016, we still talk about a ‘black quarterback’ reaching the Super Bowl, ignoring the fact that

A. this will now be the 4th consecutive year that’s happened (C. Kaepernick, R. Wilson twice, Newton), and

B. it literally does not matter in any circumstance.

While I understand and appreciate the desire and necessity to mark milestones as they come, our insistence to continue proclamation of these events does more to detract from the accomplishment than it does to promote the minority well-being.

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There’s a subsect of society that doesn’t gravitate towards certain athletes because they cannot relate to them and therefore can’t possibly understand why they do what they do.

We prefer someone like Stephen Curry: he of the limitedly athletic build and casual man appearance and a true underdog in nearly every sense of the word.

Let me remind you though, any basketball player who stands 6’3”, is one of the fastest players in the league, and whose genetic makeup comes directly from one of the greatest shooters of all time does not seem at all like someone you’d find every day at your local neighborhood court.

Just think for a second about why else he might be the face of sports as we know them.

Ultimately, people are going to judge and critique athletes for any number of reasons and it’s within their rights to do so.

But before you do, keep in mind a few aspects, especially as it relates to those who are quite unlike you are.

Next: Let's Step Back and Appreciate John Wall

These guys work harder, have developed prodigious skill, and do more for their communities than most in the world ever will. Just because they’re different, does it mean they’re wrong?

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