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Mr. Smith,

Last week Barack Obama challenged us all to have an elevated and more complex discussion on matters of race. Yet you have decided title this piece "Were GQ's NFL QB Photos 'Racist'"? Now I watched the Sports Reporters this morning and Burwell never used the word 'racist', but was speaking of a pattern of "unflattering stereotypes". Now, when isolated, I don't have a strong opinion either way on the Russell photo. But Burwell's point was not limited to that photo. Is it possible that we can engage this discussion in a fuller way, rather than simplify it? Perhaps your title could have been are "Are Lebron and Russell photos part of a larger pattern?" Now THAT would be a more nuanced discussion.

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How about a title of "ALL Millionaire Jocs Have Final Say ON ALL PICTURES! Give it a break. None of the athletes, white or black, had to consent to anything they did not like. In fact, the rags have to put up with every silly request the prima donas come up with.

Don't even put this in the same ballpark as what is going on with Reverend Hatemonger in Chicago. His statements on WW2 alone should have veterans and families of veterans screaming. I suppose Hirohito and Hitler were pretty good guys at heart but were villified by the American press. Before the hater spews forth more venom, he might think about how it would be if the Axis won WW2.

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Burwell is a perfect example of the race hustling hate monger whom after listening to talk radio all week it sounds like white america is really getting sick of.

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Could it be that the respective photos were just meant to appeal to that persons particular race and/or personality?After all,Whites and Blacks don't usually share the same tastes in music and clothes.Why don't you guys (Burwell and Smith)stick to writing sports articles and leave the race card at home.

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yes, I think sports news is laced with sterotypical images of blacks. It merely serves to reinfoce the bias within our society of blacks.

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I do have a problem with the images.

Young-no shirt in the wild with a football. Very animalistic

Russell with the sweatsuit and a fur. A little too gaudy and materialistic.

The real question is whether GQ presented these ideas because they were black or did the players choose those styles themselves.

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Dave, who exactly are you responding to? No one brought up Rev. Wright, and it has already been acknowledged that athletes already have consent. In fact, Burwell also took Lebron to task as much as anyone. Please work on your reading comprehension on both the AOL article AND the response.

Mr. Smith, let me hold you accountable for pmf's comments as he is obviously not familiar with Mr. Burwell's work at all. By simplifying Burwell's statement with your oversimplified title you encourage a dumbed-down discussion that is exemplified in pmf's response. You hold power as a widely-read columnist. Please harness that power with more delicacy on hot-button topics. I know that you are capable.

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I agree with Dave. Accountability is misplaced here.

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I don't think this country could be more racially sensitive and paranoid if it tried. Give it a rest, already.

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If you think that the photo of Jamarcus was insensitive then you must not have seen the crap he was wearing at the Sugar Bowl this year.

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Modidufus obvously did not see the Sports Reporters segment. The whole issue was tied to recent events;hence the fact that this was the SEPTEMBER issue we are talking about.
MDS was right on the money-this was all about race. As usual, plenty of blame was flung but no responsibility taken.
As for you, make sure you get my kid's orders correct next time we see you in the drive thru. That is the level of responsibility we must expect from you.

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Maybe the photos tie into what city/team they play for. Tennesse is pretty rural place, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland and Pittsburg are industrial blue collar type cities, LA is glamorous. Maybe the photos would be the same with different QBs.

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Dave, now I understand why MDS simplified the segment to "are the photos racist?" He was dumbing down his title to his audience who can't understand any shades of gray in between that black-white statement vs. what Burwell was actually trying to communicate. I guess that "the customer is always right" and MDS knows this.

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