ESPN anchor Robert Flores openly wondered why it is that the media tends to get so riled up about some NFL touchdown dances and not others during a Monday episode of "SportsCenter" -- not so subtly implying that the answer boils down to race.
He spoke his truth after showing a clip of Kansas City Chiefs' tight end "hitting the quan" following a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
"I'm wondering why there's no letters to the editor, or why 'First Take''s not doing, 'Should Travis Kelce be dancing in the end zone?'" Flores rhetorically asked. "Oh, because he's not black."
The ESPN anchor is undoubtedly referring to the the hullabaloo over Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton recent dancing, enjoying the fact that opponents can't stop him from reaching the end zone. You might remember it.
Newton's celebration led to anger, most noticeably in the form of a letter from a Tennessee mom to the editors of The Charlotte Observer, in which she said she would rather have her 9-year-old daughter watch half-naked cheerleaders than *gasp* watch Cam Newton dance. ESPN's Skip Bayless also jumped in too, saying he "thought [the dancing] was a little much for a franchise quarterback" -- hence Flores' "First Take" shout out.
By comparison, there has been near-silence recently when white players or middle-aged coaches have danced to express pleasure recently. But hey, it's only harmless fun when a white guy does it, right?
Moving forward, how about we all enjoy touchdown celebrations no matter who is dancing? That's not too much to ask, is it?
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