The Chat House

Sports News

Welcome to another edition of The Chat House where Post columnist Michael Wilbon was online Monday, August 28, at 1:15 p.m. ET to take your questions and comments about the latest sports news and his recent columns.

The transcript follows.

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New York, N.Y.: What do you think of the next edition of Survivor being separated by race? I think it will be an interesting social experiment to watch unfold (assuming the network doesn't script the "reality"). Everyone gets so frantic about this as if it's a "racial" issue but it's not as if one race is going to be relegated to a lower class (at least as far as I've heard).

Michael Wilbon: It stinks. I can't believe CBS is going to let this go. And it underscores just how far "Reality TV" will go. It's insulting, it's irresponsible. It's reprehensible. Actually, I can believe it because people will stop at nothing. It's part of the anger I have about prime-time TV, which even now, has so few black characters, unless they're pitted against something or portrayed comically. And then Survivors producers go out and do this...Sad, sad, sad. I'm glad we started off with this. It's like running at 7.0 on the treadmill for six minutes. My heartrate is going now.

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Leesburg, Va.: So what was Tony's reaction to Gene Weingarten's article from last week? I loved the "review". The only thing funnier then the satirical article was the reaction of the people who didn't get the joke. Joe Thiesman made a comment that he would no longer be friends with anyone who write an article like that about him. I think Joe needs to get a sense of humor. I hope Tony found the article funny, but I'm worried that enough people didn't get the joke, and that would bother him.

Michael Wilbon: I haven't talked to Tony about any more of those pieces. I know this for sure: most people weren't certain if it was satire. I read the piece not knowing for sure until the agate type at the end...and that day (Tuesday of last week) I ran into a bunch of prominent Washingtonians who are faithful readers of the newspaper (we're talking senior partners in law firms and one noted politician) who said to me they didn't know for sure what to think, whether it was satire...Everybody's sense humor, and this should be underscored, ain't the same. Anyway, we know what Weingarten was trying to do and to some it was successful. I think Tony, who has taken millions of hard shots over 30 years, has to suck it up, be a big boy, and live with criticism. Don't throw the rock if you're not willing to take one on the forehead.

Having said that, the first critique in Style I found mean and agenda-driven. When you work in a sports section all your life, even one as prestigious as The Post's, there are always jerks in features and news sections insulting sports writers and I, for one, come out swinging. Way too many of them think they're superior in talent when they're not. The definition of "deadline" for too many of them is " a week from tomorrow." They wouldn't know how to write on deadline if their lives depended on it, in some cases. They make far, far, far less money in a lot of cases and hate that. There's a jealousy factor involved and directed at sportswriters, just the way sportswriters have directed bad behavior at TV sports people for years and years...So, when the first piece ran I said some rather harsh things about the writer, which I neither regret nor take back even though I have rather enjoyed his work, lots of it.

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N.Y.: Any thoughts on the US basketball team? They seem to be playing well but its so hard to tell against the competition they have faced. Argentina/Spain will be a test, but if at least one of Carmelo, Wade or James is on his game that day the US should be tough to beat.

Michael Wilbon: The entire analysis of the U.S. team has to wait until the Americans play Spain or Argentina. That's the test. Not Senegal or the Aussies or China. Spain. Argentina. That's the list. I'm hoping the U.S. will play both those teams. Those games, for a basketball junkie like me, are worth waking up very early to watch.

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Anonymous: Mr. Wilbon, do you think writing about different racial issues

affecting sports will be one of the legacies you leave behind

as a sportswriter?

Michael Wilbon: Goodness, I'm still too young (47) to think about legacy. I'm still trying to get better at what I do. Let's just say I find the topic necessary and one most of my colleagues are afraid to deal with.

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Survivor racial season: Agreed it is terrible. I loved listening to the jeers for Simon and reality television at the Emmys last night.

Primetime in general, reality or not, is a joke when it comes to true lead character minority integration.

President David Palmer on 24 was the closest I feel it had been for sometime. But of course he was assassinated.

I'm passing that off as a sports comment since Dennis Haysbert also played Pedro Cerrano in Major League.

Thanks!

Michael Wilbon: No, thank you.

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Fairfax, Va.: Both I and my TiVo love PTI. That being said, why are there so many track and field stars being hit with drug allegations? Has the testing caught up with the athletes or is there something else going on here?

Michael Wilbon: I think you nailed it. The testing has, for now, caught up with the cheating. But it doesn't last forever. It never does. It's an eternal cat-and-mouse game. I think track & field looks so, so bad right now.

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Washington, D.C.: No one should be encouraged by anything the Redskins have done on the field this pre-season. But I am heartened by last year's turnaround from Skins-Giants game #1 (lopsided loss) to Skins-Giants game #2 (a very sound victory). What turned things around back then, and what needs to be done now? Thanks

Michael Wilbon: I think they simply need to start the season. I don't know what preseason results mean. The Colts had lost 8 straight preseason games, including all four last year, yet went 14-2 in 2005. I just won't draw conclusions off of preseason. Are the 4-0 Raiders a good bet to have a winning season? I don't know. The NFL scouts say no...It's too crazy to project based on preseason. How did it work out for Steve Spurrier when he ran up the score on opponents his first preseason. Didn't the Redskins go 4-1 that preseason? Hmmm

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San Diego, Calif.: My question was on Junior Seau, but since we are starting with race: While discussing PTL with a couple of fellow folks within the Charger organization we were all going on about how great your show is and how insightful and entertaining the show is. One person whom we all respect (full disclosure, I am black) and who is white made the comment that beyond you being a great great analyst, "Wilbon is just black enough." I knew what he meant, essentially, not "too ghetto" like Stephen A. Smith, but not "too white" like Wayne Brady. I've known the man for 28 years so I took zero offense, but I was always curious to your take?

Michael Wilbon: A whole lot of white people think because somebody speaks the language a certain way they can look into the soul and know where they came from and what they're about. And of course, it's stupid. I can manipulate the language any way I want and if you're friend followed me to the South Side of Chicago and listened to the way I communicate when I'm in certain situations he'd run for his life. W.E.B. DuBois wrote eloquently of a "double consciousness" that black folks live with and chances are your friend has no idea what that is. I'm not offended in the least by the characterization; I just usually presume it's being made by a person who thinks he's a lot smarter about race relations than he really is. I remind Tony all the time that I operate in his world and my world every day. Could he do that? Ummmm, no. Having said that, increasingly (thankfully) because of cultural shifts there are all kinds of white people who can and do...as the cultural and racial lines become more and more blurred. Chris Mullin, the former NBA star, did every day of his life and still does because he operates in very different cultures. Depending on where you grew up and what you do, moving seamlessly between those cultures may be not only good to do, but necessary.

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Washington, D.C.: "Didn't the Redskins go 4-1 that preseason?"

Yes they did Mike. I looked it up and they did. I hope this helps.

Michael Wilbon: Thank you.

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Washington, D.C.: What do you think of TO in the Lance Armstrong outfit. At least he was not wearing the yellow jersey. Seemed a bit self absorbed.

Michael Wilbon: Oh, T.O. is completely self=absorbed. But that was so, so funny. And clever. And it points out that T.O. isn't some dope, just an egomaniac who is back in the news today because Bill Parcells seems ready to pop.

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The 'Burgh: My Pittsburgh Steelers are returning Superbowl Champions, but are they even favored to win the own division (AFC North)?

Michael Wilbon: You can't take Cincy, not with Carson Palmer recovering from that serious knee injury. Not Cleveland. Who, Baltimore? No. I think the Ravens can make the playoffs, but I still see a 9-7 to 10-6 kind of season for the Ravens. But I don't see them surpassing Pittsburgh in the division.

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Gainesville, Fla.: Owens fined by the Cowboys. Big surprise right?

Michael Wilbon: I know...How could it surprise anybody? But let me say this...Anybody who reads my column or listens to my rants knows I think T.O. is a plague. He's a bad teammate, plain and simple. BUT, I didn't think it would happen this quickly. I was thinking, oh, Week 14 or something late. But now? It's AUGUST, people...and T.O. can't get it together before the season even begins?

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New York, N.Y. (Follow-up to Survivor Question): Clearly you don't like Survivor idea but from your response I couldn't really understand why you hate it so much. I might agree with you but just want to better understand where you're coming from. Do you think the experiment is insensitive to one of the four races more than the others? I think we see a lot of race relations scripted on TV and it might be interesting to get a small sense of how far (or how little) we've coming along as far as color blindedness.

Michael Wilbon: It's stupid and insensitive to EVERYBODY. And if we're come so far in regard to color blindness, then why have the stupid thing? It speaks to the lowest common denominator in people...It's sick.

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Houston, Texas: Re: Survivor. N.Y. seems to think it will be an interesting experiment. What kind of experiment is that? An experiment is done with the intention of asking a specific question to answer a hypothesis. What possible question or hypothesis is being addressed by pitting a bunch of ethnic groups against each other? (besides the more obvious objectionable ones). I see no good rationale for this experiment. By the way, I am a 44-year-old white guy.

Michael Wilbon: Thanks for commenting.

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Falls Church, Va.: Michael,

Is it time for the Redskins to go with "The Kid?"

Michael Wilbon: Already! You really want to go out on that limb to START the season? I wonder what percentage of people who identify themselves as hard-core Redskins fans would agree with that?

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20165: Today, during Bill Parcells' press conference, a writer asked him, "Is Terrell a problem?" And Parcells replied with an emphatic "NO." But I bet sportscenter leads off with a T.O./Parcells rift teaser. Thoughts?

Michael Wilbon: Did you watch the entire press conference? Oh, you have to lead with it. Here's how the news conference opened: Parcells walked into the room, saw reporters packed shoulder to shoulder and said, "What is this for, the Cuban Missle Crisis?" How great a line is that? Oh, no...the dramatic value of this is undeniable. I've seen almost the whole thing. We were going to lead with Tiger on PTI today...but when saw Parcells I was on the phone ASAP with my producers to say, "Uhhhh, we're leading with Parcells-T.O. right?"

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Anonymous: Mike going back to your comment about race/language, I think part of the reason why white people are afraid of some black people is because of that different culture that exists. The way you speak (presumably) in south side Chicago would be referred to as uneducated and crude to the average white person and because of that, some people might be afraid to associate with you. This in turn creates a negative gangsta image in white people's minds which is where racism comes into play. Furthermore, there are people who may feel that there needs to be assimilation so that we can all operate harmoniously. I personally think there needs to be a better understanding of the two cultures with open dialogue rather than the continuous problems that plague our society.

Michael Wilbon: I agree with you bottom line above all else. Thank you. And you're right about the way I might speak in different places...here in certain circumstances depending on who I am communicating with and in what context. I might be with friends from Northwestern and Harvard and go into a mode of speech that many people (black and white) might find uncomfortable...Your point of learning more about cultures other than our own is the important thing.

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Columbia, Md.: "Is it time for the Redskins to go with 'The Kid?'"

This statement alone demonstrates the average American's complete lack of patience and perseverance...or at least that of the average sports fan.

Michael Wilbon: I tend to agree with you...I know there will be a point where you have to throw him in there. But in the preseason? Remember, the Steelers didn't go with Big Ben until Tommy Maddux got hurt and it forced Bill Cower's hand.

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Chicago, Ill.: OK coach Wilbon - Grossman or Griese?

Michael Wilbon: Ha ha! You're trying to trick me into saying something crazy, aren't you?

Grossman.

I'm sitting here next to Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-

Times who is doing PTI with me today and he says he's leaning toward Griese...I want to simply see Grossman for 10 games or so and see if he can be a real NFL starter.

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Alexandria, Va.: I agree with Falls Church. I am a die hard redskin fan. I think the redskins coaching staff is trying to avoid a potential QB CONTROVERSY by keeping Campbell locked in as the third qb.

Michael Wilbon: Okay, I'm giving airtime to both sides.

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Survivor: Here's why Survivor bothers me: because we're supposed to have moved past the novelty of race-based competition. Back in the day, it was a grand scene when a white and black boxer would compete. It was a huge deal to have a black American sprinter beat Hitler's Aryan boys. Even when UTEP fielded an all-black NCAA team to compete against Kentucky's lily-white squad, it was a novelty because the races didn't mix and interact on a daily basis, which made the competition a spectacle in its own right. Nowadays, though, we share offices, bathrooms, subway cars, families, etc. etc. Survivor is saying that we're back in the Jim Crow days again, and should be fascinated by what happens when we mix races together for a competition. It's an insult to our progress.

Michael Wilbon: Bingo! Thank you hitting that angle right on the head.

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Clarksburg, Md.: Quick comment on "going with the kid." Been a Redskins fan as long as I can remember, (and I can remember going to the pediatrician's office at age 4 wearing a Redskins coat), and for this season, I'd go with Brunell in traction over the kid. Brunell may be "old" and he may not look sharp all the time, but JC just can't play at Brunell's level yet. At least, one more year for the kid.

Michael Wilbon: This (minus the doctor's visit with the coat!) is pretty much my position about the transition from Brunell to JC.

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New York, N.Y.: Can TO salvage this situation? Will great numbers do it alone? Playoffs? A ring? Or should TO start going after Landis' spot on the Discovery team?

Michael Wilbon: I gotta think T.O. is going to step on the field in Week 1 and catch six passes, two for touchdowns, for 150 yards, right? I mean, he behaves like a bum at times but he's no bum as a player. When the lights go on, the guy is fabulous and produces 100 percent of the time, hurt or not. I gotta think he's going to play like T.O. when the bell rings for Round 1.

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RE: Campbell: Ummm.....not me. Certainly not yet. Though Campbell shows some flashes of how good he could be one day with that arm strength, smoothness and athleticism used to complete a rope over the middle 30 yards downfield, he gets happy feet under pressure on the next play, throws off his back foot and into double coverage for a pick.

The real QB challenge right now is how to keep something left in Brunell's legs late in the season and in the playoffs.

Michael Wilbon: I'm seeing more notes like this than "Put him in now."

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The Kid: Just for the record... Gibbs owns December, not August. The Kid can wait.

Michael Wilbon: Good point.

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Re:New York, N.Y. (Follow-up to Survivor Question): : One of the four races??? What, Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry and Coffee??

If you can categorize the multitude of races on this planet into four, then you have a real issue with seeing color and stereotyping.

Michael Wilbon: Another great insight.

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Hermosa Beach, Calif.: Is Peyton Manning the next Dan Marino? Manning is an awesome quarterback but isn't his window closing for a Super Bowl?

Michael Wilbon: Great question...I don't know. I hope not. I hope Peyton does win...I think he can. I think this could be the year for the Colts.

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Washington, D.C.: Do you think the Redskins are really this bad? or are they just calling the most basic of plays and simply getting outschemed in these games?

Please tell me it's the latter!

Michael Wilbon: I think the Redskins, if Clinton Portis and Mark Brunell are mostly healthy, can go 10-6 to 11-5. They play in a difficult division and have some other tough games. A 10-win season and a spot in the playoffs would be great for them. I don't think anybody in the NFC East is going to win more than 11 games. It's too hard. Same for the NFC South. Too hard.

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Washington, D.C.: "I remind Tony all the time that I operate in his world and my world every day."

Earth to Huey Newton Wilbon, it's 2006! Everyone of us who played sports growing up on inter-racial teams so how black fathers talked to the white fathers and how they talked to each other --- even kids notice that stuff. But what is with this "two worlds" stuff? When 'P.Diddy' makes more than most all white towns put together, and the last two Secretary's of State have been black you need to remind yourself that jim crow ended about the day I was born - 38 years ago!

Your boasting seems to say, "I am a well spoken gentleman amongst whites, but an inarticulate mean mutha%$--& when I am with my own race!

Michael Wilbon: No idiot, I'm saying there are different contexts for everything. And it's not me, it's US. And your Huey Newton reference was supposed to tell us what about you? What it tells me is you think you know everything, which usually means you're a chip-on-the-shoulder guy who knows so much less than you think.

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Los Angeles, Calif.: Michael,

Yes, it's true that sportswriters work on deadline and Style reporters don't, but when was the last time TK wrote on deadline? Newsday?

Michael Wilbon: Ha! That's a winner. I'd say the early 1990s. Barcelona for the Olympics. I'm serious. That's 14 years and counting. But I'd take Tony in a deadline situation over ANYBODY in Style. There's a competition for you!

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Alexandria, Va.: Think the Eagles will go after Deion Branch? I don't think Pinkston is going to cut it.

Michael Wilbon: I think the Eagles and Bears ought to be fighting over Deion Branch. Both need receivers badly and both are under the salary cap by quite a bit.

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Los Angeles, Calif.: Here's why the Survivor idea is so great: 'cause everyone's talking about it = huge ratings.

Michael Wilbon: And huge ratings justify everything to you? I make a living, partly, in television and I'm not that jaded.

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RE: Manning and Marino: John Elway was the next Marino too. Then he won 2 Super Bowls to end his career. Peyton will get his, relax. Tony Dungy is too good a coach, and Peyton too good of a player not to get one together as long as Manning stays healthy, which, starting every game in his career would suggest he will.

Michael Wilbon: I like your confidence and I hope you're right. Dungy and Manning are two of my favorite people in sports and I just hope they win.

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I'm the New Yorker with The Survivor Question: To the moron who question my understanding of race. The 4 races being teamed up on the show are white, Asian, Hispanic and black. I know there are more races in the world than that MORON. To the responder before him and Wilbon, I think you're point about pitting races against each other on the old days is a great one and I agree with you, it is a bad a idea. I just wanted to throw it out there and see what people are thinking and possibly be convinced that I was wrong - which I was. See, this forum can be used for some useful and informative social debate as well as sports debate.

Michael Wilbon: No, no, no...I think he got your point. I just think he (or she) was building on the point and saying "in addition" how impractical in this increasingly heterogeneous world we live in, is it to define people that way. Who would Tiger play for? Would he be eligible for the Asian team? Jason Kidd? black team or white team? Mike Bibby? No, I think the next question/comment was advancing the point. Or...at least that's the way I read it.

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RE: Huey Newton: I'm a white guy who operates in two different worlds several times a week:

My professional 9 to 5 job during the day and the much different atmosphere of the sports bar I work at at night.

It doesn't have to be race, there are different environments that everyone operates in everyday and they can all require adaptation.

Michael Wilbon: Yes, yes, yes. The point is context. That's why I brought up a very obvious sports one with Chris Mullin. But thankfully, it's happening increasingly. Any new experiences outside of what we normally encounter should be eye-opening on some level...I've got to run and start prep for PTI but I don't want folks to be afraid to go into these things when we chat...I know some weeks will be 99 percent sports, as it should be. Some weeks, I think we all benefit from having these conversations and I want to thank the first few chatters who brought up the topic of Survivor. Thank you...Have a great week. Next Monday we're off because of Labor Day. So we're back on REDSKIN MONDAY, Sept. 11, hours before the Vikings and Redskins square off. I can hardly wait for the start of the NFL season. Enjoy the final week of real summer, ladies and gents, especially the holiday weekend. MW

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