Race has become a huge factor in profiling athletes as they transition from college to the professional level. Tim Teabow (Quarterback for the Florida Gators) and Tyler Hansborough (Basketball foward for the North Carolina Tarheels) were both national players of the year in their respective sports this past year. Tyler Hansborough won the award last year and came back for his senoir season. He has broken many records at UNC and is about to break the all-time scoring record at the university. He is presumed to break the all time scoring record for the ACC also. Though he has all these invidual records, Hansboroughs game symbolizes hardwork and teamwork.
Although he has proven himself, Hansborough is not expected to be drafted very high or be a great player in the NBA. He puts up the numbers, and his team (UNC) is always ranked at the top of the nation, but he is an American-born white player. The trend in the NBA is that most of the players are black, and the white players come from overseas. He has all the qualities that translate into a solid player, but simply the color of his skin will make general managers reluctant to draft him.
Tim Teabow was the youngest player ever to win the heisman trophy last year and could possibly repeat this year. He has done things as a quarterback that no other player has ever done. He runs for as many touchdowns as he passes and is a complete player. He is durable and plays as hard as anyone in college football. Once again though, he is white. Typically for quarterbacks, it does not hurt ones NFL dreams to be white. But the style he plays is not typical for white quarterbacks. Usually white quarterback stay in the pocket and try to win the game with their arm. Teabow is the anomoly and gets it done every way he can. Again, there is a very good chance he will not go high in the draft even though he has proven himself to be the top player in the country.
Kory Hoertz
2084_LBCMP_KIN_332I_SEC03
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