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Was Superbowl 50 really about race? – #RaceFreeMonth

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February has been declared Race Free Month and every week day in February we at MyPE will be combating the subtle racist nuances that hamper our thinking, cloud our judgement, restrict our development and increase the tension in South Africa.

Confession: “As much as I try I cannot understand the hype around American Football. A bunch of overpadded guys in tights (nope, not even THAT does it for me!) wearing helmets, passing FORWARD with offensive and defensive teams, strange shaped goalposts, playing the man without the ball (aaaah the mystery around the tights starts making sense now!) and making obscene amounts of money.”

It took a South African comedian to make me think about the Superbowl 50 in terms of race – yes Trevor Noah, after watching your spot on Comedy Central the veil of non racial indifference to American Football was lifted from my eyes!

In the build up to the Superbowl 50 the American media look for every angle known to man in writing about this ‘World Championship’. Which beggars the question; “Why has no team from South Africa (or any other country for that matter) ever been in a final?” The big hype is apparently always around the quarterback – he is the guy that throws the ball forward and is referred to as having a good arm (again the tights are starting to make sense!).

The two teams that squared up against each other on Sunday 7 February 2016 were the Denver Broncos (with a white horsey type logo) and the Panthers (with a black pantherish logo).

The two quarterbacks were Peyton Manning from the Denver Broncos – apparently your quintessential All American homeboy – and Cam Newton for the Panthers – the man known as Superman, a young energetic physically imposing quarterback.

The game was won by the Broncos: 24-10.

Noah highlights in the YouTube clip below just how the media played the differences between these two in a subtly racist manner:

If Trevor’s viewpoint is correct then I despair for the human race as the ancient twisted views of white superiority over black are once again being peddled in a ‘killer with a smile’ manner.

Methinks that a better way to portray this match up would have been Young Bull vs Old Bull.

On another note – surely these football teams should change their names: Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Redskins?

Sign the Pledge to go Race Free.

Related: February 2016 Race Free Month Articles

Superbowl 50
Peyton Manning – Denver Broncos and Cam Newton – Panthers
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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.