Is 'big, black and brave' a racist comment? Yes. The same as 'big, white and brave' would be. Both are using race to differentiate when that differentiation is not required. Therefore by definition they are racist.
If it offended him then fair enough but otherwise just accept it as it was meant: a commentator painting a verbal picture of a football match for listeners on a radio station.
I'm sure Tom Elliott has bigger things to worry about.
Is 'big, black and brave' a racist comment? Yes. The same as 'big, white and brave' would be. Both are using race to differentiate and are therefore by definition racist.
Is John Motson a racist? I very much doubt it.
I tentatively suggest that alliteration to add emphasis may have informed his comment rather than any sinister attempt to highlight racial differences.
I think Motty used to sponsor Marshall when he was at Barnet and they have stayed in touch.
A sense of proportion is needed otherwise an important issue is trivialised.
EDIT: Got that wrong he sponsors his shirt at Charlton (or did).
I mean, it's an unnecessary comment, sure. We wouldn't hear a white player described as "white". It's a bit, erm, "ooh he's a different colour to the norm", I guess.
But literally no one is offended by this. It's Motty. He's old, and was obviously going for alliteration, and should have gone with "bold" (or any number of alternatives).
Should he have said it? No.
Is anyone actually offended? Not really - and if they are... Oh, come on. Get over it. Motty is demonstrably not racist.
This isn't an issue, even to lefty liberal snowflakes like me.
I mean, it's an unnecessary comment, sure. We wouldn't hear a white player described as "white". It's a bit, erm, "ooh he's a different colour to the norm", I guess.
But literally no one is offended by this. It's Motty. He's old, and was obviously going for alliteration, and should have gone with "bold" (or any number of alternatives).
Should he have said it? No.
Is anyone actually offended? Not really - and if they are... Oh, come on. Get over it. Motty is demonstrably not racist.
This isn't an issue, even to lefty liberal snowflakes like me.
Is 'big, black and brave' a racist comment? Yes. The same as 'big, white and brave' would be. Both are using race to differentiate and are therefore by definition racist.
Is John Motson a racist? I very much doubt it.
I tentatively suggest that alliteration to add emphasis may have informed his comment rather than any sinister attempt to highlight racial differences.
I think Motty used to sponsor Marshall when he was at Barnet and they have stayed in touch.
A sense of proportion is needed otherwise an important issue is trivialised.
EDIT: Got that wrong he sponsors his shirt at Charlton (or did).
I mean, it's an unnecessary comment, sure. We wouldn't hear a white player described as "white". It's a bit, erm, "ooh he's a different colour to the norm", I guess.
But literally no one is offended by this. It's Motty. He's old, and was obviously going for alliteration, and should have gone with "bold" (or any number of alternatives).
Should he have said it? No.
Is anyone actually offended? Not really - and if they are... Oh, come on. Get over it. Motty is demonstrably not racist.
This isn't an issue, even to lefty liberal snowflakes like me.
Listened to him on Desert island disk, as been mentioned, grew up in the Charlton area, first football memory, taken to the Valley with dad (the Vicar). Chose 'when the red red Robin...' as first song.
Is 'big, black and brave' a racist comment? Yes. The same as 'big, white and brave' would be. Both are using race to differentiate and are therefore by definition racist.
Is John Motson a racist? I very much doubt it.
I tentatively suggest that alliteration to add emphasis may have informed his comment rather than any sinister attempt to highlight racial differences.
I think Motty used to sponsor Marshall when he was at Barnet and they have stayed in touch.
A sense of proportion is needed otherwise an important issue is trivialised.
EDIT: Got that wrong he sponsors his shirt at Charlton (or did).
Listened to him on Desert island disk, as been mentioned, grew up in the Charlton area, first football memory, taken to the Valley with dad (the Vicar). Chose 'when the red red Robin...' as first song.
Looks like Motson's got carried away with over-describing the scene for his radio audience, with him obviously not being up there with the likes of other radio commentators like Jonathon Pearce for example (I remember well his "Kung fu style kick into the crowed" commentary when Cantona took out the Nigel). Also, I'm sure there are Italian / French / Spanish players often described as olive skinned etc. that, quite rightly, wouldn't garner the same attention as this. Would it have been the same if he'd have said "dark" instead of "black"?
Anyway, no point in defending the bloke as the "cant wait for the......." posts have already been put up, and what JM said was obviously full of malice and we should all condemn the bloke after being exposed as the true racist he is.
All said and done, one cannot defend the indefensible
Motty has history. He was heavily criticised some years ago about how commentating on football had changed over his career. To paraphrase he said something like "...and with all the black players in the game these days my job is more difficult as many of them look the same..." He's old and stuck in a past era but he's not a bloody racist.
Also, these days you can't describe someone as 'big', that could imply said individual is carrying a few pounds.
And what if Elliott doesn't want to be known as a 'brave' footballer?
Motson should have just stuck to 'man'...oh no, wait, what if Tom doesn't want to identify as a man?
Excellent comment. I'm not clear what gender Tom identifies as or even what species. A couple of Millwall players are rumoured to identify as rottweilers...
I mean, it's an unnecessary comment, sure. We wouldn't hear a white player described as "white". It's a bit, erm, "ooh he's a different colour to the norm", I guess.
But literally no one is offended by this. It's Motty. He's old, and was obviously going for alliteration, and should have gone with "bold" (or any number of alternatives).
Should he have said it? No.
Is anyone actually offended? Not really - and if they are... Oh, come on. Get over it. Motty is demonstrably not racist.
This isn't an issue, even to lefty liberal snowflakes like me.
The late John White of Tottenham Hotspur was often described as white
Comments
Is 'big, black and brave' a racist comment? Yes. The same as 'big, white and brave' would be. Both are using race to differentiate when that differentiation is not required. Therefore by definition they are racist.
Is John Motson a racist? I very much doubt it.
I think Motty used to sponsor Marshall when he was at Barnet and they have stayed in touch.
A sense of proportion is needed otherwise an important issue is trivialised.
EDIT: Got that wrong he sponsors his shirt at Charlton (or did).
thought I'd read that Motty had personally contacted Elliott to offer his apologies and that it had been accepted and the matter was closed.
don't let that stop the media though !
But literally no one is offended by this. It's Motty. He's old, and was obviously going for alliteration, and should have gone with "bold" (or any number of alternatives).
Should he have said it? No.
Is anyone actually offended? Not really - and if they are... Oh, come on. Get over it. Motty is demonstrably not racist.
This isn't an issue, even to lefty liberal snowflakes like me.
dId YoU jUsT aSsUmE tHeIr GeNdEr
Chose 'when the red red Robin...' as first song.
I agree completely - I don't for a second believe Motty meant anything sinister by it at all. No intent whatsoever, just unfortunate wording.
Mountain out of a molehill, when there are far bigger racist mountains to climb. But it's the Daily Hate, yet again.
LOL! First time I've seen the Mail labelled left wing! Always thought it was just to the right of Atilla the Hun!
Anyway, no point in defending the bloke as the "cant wait for the......." posts have already been put up, and what JM said was obviously full of malice and we should all condemn the bloke after being exposed as the true racist he is.
All said and done, one cannot defend the indefensible
Here is the full story - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/44811.stm
The issue as Dear Diane has said "the problem is with white men"
Also, these days you can't describe someone as 'big', that could imply said individual is carrying a few pounds.
And what if Elliott doesn't want to be known as a 'brave' footballer?
Motson should have just stuck to 'man'...oh no, wait, what if Tom doesn't want to identify as a man?
It's not racism.
It's outdated.
To call it out as racism or a hate crime is insanity.
At least we all on here seem to agree it's not intended to be racist.