Edited by Azizi Powell
SHOWCASE VIDEO: AN EMOTIONAL SHANNON SHARPE RIPS THE DOLPHINS LOCKER ROOM | RICHIE INCOGNITO - JONATHAN MARTIN
HuŠ¼anACOUSTICS™ | tabloid, Published on Nov 11, 2013
FROM DEADSPIN.COM:
On CBS's pregame show, Shannon Sharpe had some very strong words for the Dolphins, less about their handling of the Incognito-Martin fallout, and more about a locker room that let things get to the point where a white player can call a teammate a "half-n*gger" and it's supposed to be taken in good humor.
I want to talk about a culture that was fostered in that locker room and was allowed to flourish. The Miami Dolphins locker room probably consists of 75, 80 percent blacks. If you allow Richie Incognito to walk around in an open locker room and to use a racial epithet that most black Americans—all black Americans know the stigma and the hate and the vitriol that comes with that word—if you allow him to do that, you are encouraging him to do that. I read, and I don't know, it's alleged, that some black players said Richie Incognito was an honorary black. There's no such thing. This tells me everything I need to know about the Miami Dolphins locker room. How we got here, and why we got here. If you don't understand it...just ask your parents, ask your grandparents, the mountain that they climbed so a black person in American can have respect, can have dignity, and you allow this in an open locker room, is unacceptable. [...] If he said that to Jonathan Martin, he didn't only say it to him. He's talking to you too. Because if you're black, you know what that word means.
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Editor's transcription:
[I made this transcription prior to finding the one posted above. My transcription includes more of Shannon Sharpe's comments than the transcription that is included with that video.]
Shannon Sharpe on Richie Incognito
"People will tell you what you wanna hear. People will tell you what they think you’ll believe. And then they’ll tell you the truth.
From what I’m hearing...from the Dolphins, from what I’ve read in the papers, I don’t believe that they’re telling the truth. Ted Wells will get to the bottom of the truth.
But I wanna talk about a culture...that was fostered in that locker room and was allowed to flourish.
The Miami Dolphins locker room probably consist of 75 – 80% Black.
If you allow Richie Incognito to walk around in an open locker room and to use a racial epithet that most Black Americans-all Black Americans know the stigmatism and the hate and the vitriol that comes with that word.
If you allow him to do that, you’re encouraging him to do that. It has to go unchecked.
I read and I don’t know, it’s alleged that some Black players said that Richie Incognito was a honorary Black. There’s no such thing.
This tells me everything I need to know about the Miami Dolphins locker room - how we got here and why we got here.
Because so many people - if you don’t understand it because I’m forty five. I grew up in rural South Georgia. Maybe I’m...a disconnect with me, Jamie. Maybe it’s me. Just ask your parents. Ask your grandparents. The mountain that they climbed... so a Black person in America could have respect...could have dignity. And you allow this …in an open locker room to take place ...is unacceptable. It’s...I...I...I place this... I’m so disappointed. I just hope that someone was misquoted. I hope I’m wrong…and they didn’t allow Richie Incognito to say this racially charged word..in an open locker room..and go unchecked. That’s unacceptable. I’m..I’m embarrassed for ev… because when he said…if he said that to Martin…Jonathan Martin…, he didn’t only say that to him. He’s talkin to you too [pointing to the other Black person on the panel.] Because if you’re Black, you know what that word means.
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EDITOR'S COMMENT
As a community folklorist I believe these comments should be documented and shared. As a person interested in real racial equality I believe these heartfelt words add to the discussion about race in the United States & elsewhere. And as a person interested in spoken word compositions and theater, I recognise how Shannon Sharpe's comments could be used as a powerful dramatic monologue.
Corrections to this transcription are welcome.
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Explanation about vernacular English:
"checked" a person or a situation; keeping a person "in check" = keeping a person's questionable or bad behavior or a potentially problematic situation under tight control. Behavior or a situation that is allowed to go "unchecked" means that the person's behavior or the situation is out of control.
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RELATED LINKS
"Shannon Sharpe (born June 26, 1968) is a former American Football tight end who played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) and is now a commentator for CBS Sports on its NFL telecasts."
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon_Sharpe for more information about Shannon Sharpe.
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Click http://thegrio.com/2013/11/05/nfl-stars-weigh-in-on-dolphins-racial-bullying-controversy/ for background information & comments about the situation with the Miami Dolphins football team that Shannon Sharpe was speaking about.
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Thanks to Shannon Sharpe for articulating what many Black people and many other people of goodwill think about the use of what is now commonly called "the n word".
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