Look to the black-and-white cookie, Imus

By Steven Lienert
The Phanatic Magazine

As a Howard Stern fan, I’ve always held a certain disdain for Don Imus.

To me, he’s a crotchety old man whose time on the radio passed him by long ago.

I wanted him to be fired too – only not for what he said about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. Just because I don’t think he’s good at his job anymore.

But let me get something straight: A white disc jockey can call a group made of multicultural women (white, black, Asian) “nappy-headed hos” and the whole world freaks out, but rappers can use that very phrase in song lyrics and that’s OK?

I don’t get it.

LL Cool J has used those lyrics and has never made an appearance on Al Sharpton’s radio show to quantify what he said. LL Cool J has never had to apologize to anyone for using those lyrics. LL Cool J is revered, while Imus is reviled.

Besides, judging by his looks, Imus seems to be an expert on nappy hairdos. (Just jokes).

First, I don’t think Imus was being racist when he used that term. Like I mentioned before, there are women of Caucasian decent on the team, same as Imus, and Imus never singled out any player by name.

Now, was it sexist? Absolutely. Was it right to say? Absolutely not. But Sharpton and Jesse Jackson want me to believe it’s a race issue? I ain’t buyin’ it.

What are still race issues are the double standards that exist in our society.

Like last Saturday, when a certain African-American basketball writer (who’s name shall remain nameless) says during a radio interview that Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash are deserving of the NBA MVP award. But he went on to say ON THE AIR that they won’t win the award because the league doesn’t want a white player to win it three years in a row.

Oh, apparently, that’s OK.

And while I’m happy for Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith for their accomplishments this past year, I stopped looking at the color of a person’s skin a long time ago. So why was it a story that two black head coaches faced each other for the first time in a Super Bowl?

I understand it was a milestone achievement, but it was way overblown.

Why is it a story when two good coaches, two good men, lead their respective squads to the ultimate game in their sport? Why does it matter what color Nash and Nowitzki are? When does it stop mattering if they are blue, green, red, black or yellow?

If anything, Imus is guilty of being a moron. A two-week suspension and the public flogging is punishment enough.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programs...

Lienert enjoys watching Imus’ career going down the toilet at slienert@phanaticmag.com