Local boxing champion Bernard Hopkins was at again. He was burying former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb on Philly.com in an article by Marcus Hayes. According to Hopkins, McNabb isn’t really black because he wasn’t raised in poverty and in the ghetto.
“Forget this,” Hopkins told Hayes, pointing to his own dark skin. “He’s got a suntan. That’s all.”
I didn’t realize that you had to live in the ghetto in order to be black. This mentality is one of the reasons that nearly every other ethnic group has surpassed a certain segment of African-Americans, who take living amongst crime and poverty as a badge of honor.
The youngsters go to school intent on not learning because that means they’re really sincerely and legitimately black. I dealt with this in elementary, middle school and high school, but thankfully my parents made my brothers, sisters and I get our work in school. Hopkins and his mentality is part of the problem instead of part of the solution.
I see hundreds of talented youngsters, who have so far refused to give their full effort in school and have now been arrested for selling drugs or some type of violent crime. They have no idea they’re destroying their lives because they believe that by getting in trouble with the law, they are being truth to their ethnicity.
If they don’t change their mentality, they will be doomed to being the future of crime in Philadelphia and will wind up spending years behind bars or die young from a gun shot. Hopkins escaped this life and seems to want to make sure that others continue remain trapped.
Why didn’t somebody ask Hopkins why he no longer lives in North Philadelphia? McNabb’s parents weren’t wealthy, they owned a small home in a suburb of Chicago. They were trying to provide the best they could for their children. Is that a negative?
Hopkins grew up in the ghettos of Philadelphia and spent years behind bars, starting at the Youth Study Center, which houses teenagers who get in trouble with the law. I interviewed him on 610-WIP a couple of days after he got out of Graterford Prison.
Hopkins still thinks and talks in a slave mentality, yet he lives and raises his children in a mammoth home in the suburbs of Delaware. He criticizes McNabb for growing up in a suburb of Chicago, yet Hopkins is using his millions of dollars made from his boxing to raise his kids in a much more affluent community than McNabb.
He accuses McNabb of being a house slave because he wasn’t raised in a ghetto, but chooses to not raise his children in the ghetto. He talks about McNabb being a “house slave”, while he considers himself to be a “field slave”.
“Why do you think McNabb felt he was betrayed? Because McNabb is the guy in the house, while everybody else is on the field. He’s the one who got the extra coat. The extra servings. ‘You’re our boy,’ ” Hopkins said, patting a reporter on the back in illustration. “He thought he was one of them.”
How could either one of them be considered slaves when each of them has made over $100 million dollars in their athletic careers?
Hopkins is a total HYPOCRITE. Why doesn’t he live in North Philadelphia, where he was raised? Why is he living in an affluent neighborhood in Delaware? What’s the minority population in his neighborhood? How could Hayes let him say all of this nonsense without pointing out that he lives in a mansion in Delaware?
I’m a Black man born and raised in North Philly (11th and Huntingdon) the type of rhetoric that Hopkins and Jerry Mondesire (Philly Chapter NAACP) spit is one of many reasons things are so divided in the Black community now. Ok so McNabb was fortunate enough to come from a two-parent home, so was I. My dad was a functioning alcoholic but nevertheless he wanted more for me than what he had. Isn’t that what every parent wants. I never went to bed without food unless I was hungry, does that make me any less attached to my “blacknesss”. Yeah it was a struggle at times but I never looked at someone who had better with disdain. So I guess since Hopkins spent sometime in the bing that gives him some type of street cred? He’s giving kids that look up to him these false badges of courage. What kid wants to go to jail to prove their manhood when at that young of an age you stand a better chance of having it taken,
And don’t get me wrong, I like Hopkins as a fighter and applaud what he’s done but stop with this house and field negro nonsense.
Ask Bernard when was the last time he WALKED through 25th & Diamond after 9pm on a Friday night?
As a suburban Delawarean I absolutely agree with g.cobb. Please Bernard move back to philly.
If you read the Delaware paper you will see that unfortunately Bernard doesn’t even have to go all the way to north philly…. the nickname for Wilmington has become Killmington– a shame!
I mean this without any racial meaning or negativity.
I just dont get how that is a badge of honor to be uneducated. Why doesnt anyone have a sense of pride to make themselves have a better lifestyle than what they grew up in?
There is really no sense in trying to logically piece together anything B-hop says about McNabb… *shrugs*
he simply doesnt like McNabb and will pluck shots at him whenever the mood stikes.. Something personal between those 2 whatever happened obviously left a bitter taste in Hopkins mouth. I met hop a few times and he says McNabb snubbed him and acted like a punk when he came to the eagles lockeroom one time… Ever since then? B-Hop has made it his business to spread the bad word about McNabb…. Hopkins thinks McNabb is soft and a chump (he told me so himself lol).. I happen to disagree, but it is one of those things where Hopkins doesnt like him (McNabb sometimes brings out intense disslike from people and I wonder why that is)… Bernard is almost irrational to the point of ‘lets change the subject’ when it comes to McNabb. I think it is what it is, he dont like McNabb at all and he’s gonna say it whenever he gets a chance
And also to be fair, I think it goes much deeper than not liking McNabb because he came from the suburbs… its more about Some people having the suburb attitude when they meet black folks who may be on their level even though they didnt have it as good as McNabb coming up.. The vibe I get is that Hopkins thinks McNabb tried to brush him off or ignore him because he is from a different background than McNabb.. I dont know McNabb and havent had the chance to meet him so I cant say personally…
Also McNabb is an awkward guy and he always had trouble endearing himself to people in this area… The fans never really appreciated him, Mondesaire took him to task for being afraid of running because of stereotyopes… I think its much to simple to say its just a slave mentality hopkins showing… He showing more of a class issue inside the black community between supposed affluent blacks and poor blacks.. Without hearing McNabb’s side of the issue I dont think you draw broad conclusions about what REALLY is going on between these 2
First off I totally blame Marcus Hayes for even writing those comments that were made about a player WHO WAS THE CLASS ACT OF THIS TEAM AND TOWN FOR 10 YEARS….Could have omitted them …..Hopkins is a clown …anything he says is bullshit…Mcnabb has NEVER even uttered this dudes name and yet he continues to bring up Mcnabb’s ….He’s still mad that #5 wasn’t riding his jock a couple years ago when he came to the NovaCare Complex…You don’t have to like the man but don’t bring him down to try and pull yourself up…sad thing is I used to like Hop
Until I heard him saying these Uncle Tom and not Black comments about Mcnabb….That stuff pisses me off cause just like G said it’s this mind set that keeps Black Youths from succeeding they are afraid to try for fear of being ostracized…
Man I’m getting even more pissed as I think about this trash…
Bernard has enough respect from folks that he could walk thru 25th and Diamond after 9pm on a friday night.. thats why he talks the way he does, because a good deal of the love he gets is from the people who live in a neighborhood like 25th and Diamond..
its not really about Bernard being a hypocrite tho.. He still commands more than enough respect to go wherever he pleases in the city….
to me its about why these 2 cannot get along
If everyone spent a little more time focusing on making themselves a better person and less time listening to and spewing this nonsense, we would all improve together.
Is it really that difficult to be honest, hardworking, ethical and give proper guidance to those that need/want it? I mean, really.
Damn, G… Well said! He’s a total hypocrite and is a part of a major problem.
@Rasheed1 If he’s not a hypocrite, then I’d like to hear him say that his kids aren’t black either. His kids are 100x more priveleged than McNabb was growing up, so to that same logic his kids aren’t black. If he agrees, then you’re right. But he never would.
I think B-Hop has the Jalen Rose syndrome, If you remember Roses comments on Espns 30-30 he said he considered Grant Hill an Uncle Tom cause he played for Duke and was raised by both his parents, and these people are suppose to be role models? What a sick way to think !
Who gives a *bleep*…Bernard Hopkins? really? Bernard Hopkins? How many times has this man been hit? You really can’t take what this man says to heart…He’s been hit so much that he probably mispeaks on about every sentence…
G you wrote “They have no idea they’re destroying their lives because they believe that by getting in trouble with the law, they are being truth to their ethnicity.”
True to their ethnicity? Has nothing to do with that, simply put, it is how they are raised! If their parents don’t give a shit, then the kids won’t give a shit, its that simple…I grew up where an asswhoopin went a long way…that’s what a lot of these kids need, discipline in some shape or fashion….
@RealTalk777 I’m sure G meant “culture” as opposed to “ethnicity.”
again, I think people are making it way to simple… Its alot deeper than hating a guy because he was raised with 2 parents… Its more of a class issue among black folks
its like ‘good hair vs. nappy hair’ in one of those spike lee movies..
it stems from an internal battle inside the black community that surrounds the identity of black folks…
some black folks resent people who “MAKE IT” (had to laugh at that term) and look down their noses at the black folks in poverty…
its not simply because McNabb had 2 parents.. lol
@shamburg
He isnt a hypocrite becaus eh could very well go and stay where he please in philadelphia.. People in hood love to see Hopkins.. Im sure if he ever had to move back? he could, kids and all
Realtalk says it right… bad kids go to jail because they are bad.. not because of their ethnicity..
@Rasheed1 What are you talking about? No one ever said anythign about hopkins being mad at McNabb for having 2 parents. Dude was just pointing out a parallel of Roas and Hopkins mentality and cited Rose’s comments.
Stop appologizing for Hopkins because you met him once. No one cares, and I’m sure Hopkins wouldn’t care if he saw you again. “Hey B-Hop, remember me?!” “No, get out my face… I’m ghetto.”
@Rasheed1, That point is ridiculous and you’re going off topic. The fact that he can go back to where he grew up says nothing. When McNabb was the star QB for the Eagles, he could live in North Philly too. Its about respecting someones celebrity and nothing more.
Hopkins lives in a mansion because he wants a better upbringing for his kids than he had. He said “black people belong in the ghetto.” The fact that he and his kids aren’t in the ghetto makes him a hypocrite. How can you not see that?
you need pipe down shamburg…
Im trying to bring some perspective to the conversation that has alot of mad people getting overly emotional on the internet…. calm down & stopt trying to insult me… Im too grown for that bs
you got people in here saying Hopkins is mad because McNabb came from a 2 parent home and he’s like jalen Rose (who also said something similar)..
there alot more going on here than and if you cant wrap your brain around what I said? then just ask me to clarify
when you see black people sniping at each other in this fashion, it usually has to do with what I mentioned earlier…. an internal issue among black folks over class and being raised hard vs being raised in the suburbs..
the issue is older than anybody posting on this board and people having their hissy fits over it wont change anything
Jalen’s Rose comment was made about the Uncle Tom/Duke Reference when he was 18 years old and played his way off the streets from a very violent city of Detroit when he was asked how he felt about the pristine “Duke” reputation and their players that they recruit and attract and what he felt about playting against them..
As far as Boxer Bernard Hopkins comments.. I think he was hit in the head a few times too often..
+1 to paulman for understanding the context of what Rose said
@Rasheed1 I think you need to re-read the article and then your comments. It has far less to do with McNabb vs. Hopkins or rich vs. poor than it does with Hopkins’ mentality – which is shared by many in black culture – that is based around need to associate with crime and violence, because by trying to be anything more, you obtain a stigma of being un-black.
thnx Rasheed,
Not bad for a middle-aged white guy… bring on Bernard Hopkins.. I call him out…I’ll be at the Corner of 2nd and South Strs Friday night to take him on…
I’m not saying he’s mad because he came from a two parent home, I’m mad because I’m tired of brothas shootin’ each other down in the media for no reason. They’re both paid and their families are taken care of – Hopkins made good on a second chance that few get. He sounds real juvenille with his comments along with Mondesire.
The fact that Hopkins is supporting that mentality even after escaping that life is detrimental to the success of black society.
As far as walking through 25th and Diamond on a Friday night. Love for Bernard isn’t feeding any of those kids on the corner throwing rocks at the jail because they’re raising themselves. Love for Bernard isn’t paying anyone’s bills. Guess what, when it comes down to mere survival don’t think some one from that hood or any other wouldn’t try him.
“an organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.”
the above is quoted from the dictionary for the word ‘society’…. not sure that what Bernard has described is a society of any kind…
Wonder where the “Tea Party” People should live, anyone have any ideas…
“@Rasheed1 I think you need to re-read the article and then your comments. It has far less to do with McNabb vs. Hopkins or rich vs. poor than it does with Hopkins’ mentality – which is shared by many in black culture – that is based around need to associate with crime and violence, because by trying to be anything more, you obtain a stigma of being un-black.”
I dont need to re-read anything to understand the dynamics on what goes on here and how young kids feel about… I see them and work with them daily.. the need to associate with crime and act dumb on purpose is bigger than a black problem… Its an American problem..
Im speaking on it…. Bernard saying blacks belong in the ghetto is obviously silly and I didnt think we needed to base the whole conversation on that comment… Im talking about the issue of black folks sniping at each other and using the term ‘uncle tom’ to talk about the issues they have
@ Ronglover… I agree with you last statement…
and yes people would try him… some people would try ANYBODY.
This is seriously one of the worst articles I’ve read. I wonder if this joker Cobb is just trying to serve up controversy or wants to pat himself on the back for taking down Hopkins. And look at the unanimous animosity this joker served up for Bernard when he cleary DID NOT say you have to come from the ghetto to be black.
His point was that Owens was seen as a cancer for being outspoken where as McNabb was a company man that thought he was part of the family but still got booted.
Now we got ignorant people saying Bernard said “blacks belong in the ghetto” and he’s associated blackness with crime. Idiotic.
@Paulman in a box of Lipton!!!!!!
Maybe overboard in the Boston Harbor.. ha
Look B-Hop is being B-Hop…….. A ton of these boxers/pro athletes who reach a certain age say things that they should or shouldnt say…….. A man is a man…… And we live by a code call RESPECT…….. yes we can respect Mcnabb and how he handles himself on and off the camera…… B-Hop had to fight his way to gain respect in his early years and I’m damn for sure in Prison!!!! DONT WANNA BE ANYBODY’S BITCH IN PRISON!!!!!!!
But all kidding aside we all know that B-HOP expresses his feelings after a fight when Larry Merchant gave him No Respect after a win…….. Of course we all know that B-Hop didnt have the proper education and also didnt use proper termanology/grammar when he speaks…… But he came up in a more brutal situation in life and thats fighting physically to earn respect and money…… I’m not defending B-Hop because his comments were a bit outlandish…….. But maybe B-Hop views his respect towards Mcnabb in a different way…….. Thats my take on it!!!!!
I wouldnt want my kids in the hood trust me…….. Too many crazy people in this world……. I wouldnt want my child to live or see the way I came up in life…….. But the same rule apply’s in suburban communities as well….. Just dont see it as often…….. But it happens BLACK WHITE who ever!!!! Bigger issues in Pakistan and other third world countries!!!!
Every athlete should start opening community centers in the cities and towns they live. These places have basically lined there pockets for playing a game.Stop buying BMW’s and put it into the community and your cousin or childhood friend will maybe escape death.it’s pathetic that the cycle continues and people in these cities dont take there lives back. Parachuting welfare checks into the city every month only helps. If we put as much effort into our inned cities and poor suburban communites as we did looking for and killing the cheif scumbag OBL then in a decade our country would be in better shape. ITS THAT SIMPLE.
I live on the city limits in D-ware.I went to an inner city school.So I see poverty everyday,the brash and entitled attitude of the youth,and it’s all facilitated by there parents.Sorry,parent. Some kid walked up to me in a dollar store and actually asked me for a dollar.I told him if he could do 50 push-ups i’d give em a buck.I dont give anyone $ for nothing…plus i hadda break balls. He denied my offer and left.That proved the mentality of the youth.Why should i work for anything when someone will give it to me for free eventually? One day i’ll be giving tax money for his prison meals.
B-Hop is a stone cold moron. Nothing else to say about him cept that.
Excellent post E
Agreed, great points E.
to quote my office workers. look like a fool with the pants on the ground
Hopkins sounds mentally ill when he goes off again and again on a man who has never done anything to wrong him. He really needs to let it go. I do wonder if he exhibits other signs of the early stages of pugilistica dementia.
A.S.. ,good point. Did a quick read on google on that and seems like he’s getting squirly.Put the gloves up and help the community dude.
What if every millionair athlete donated money to inner cities where they lived….everyone. What if the ULTRA rich donated $ and stopped hoarding it for 5 generations down to go to Harvard. Maybe they would stop having there mansions broken into and would help society instead of shopping at outlets in Rehobeth.
hopkins is an idiot…he throws out the mcnabb taunts so fools like marcus hayes stay interested…nobody should even care what hopkins thinks about the eagles…he’s how old?? and he’s fighting who??? let me guess…hopkins loses a split decision and claims he was jobbed…no wonder mma is killing boxing in popularity…and get over the mcnabb / TO saga…it was years ago and everyone’s moved on…and of course he puts vick over…don’t get me wrong, i love vick’s game right now, but he hasn’t even accomplished what mcnabb did yet…i guess he’s tougher, though, b/c he made poor decisions like hopkins and ended up in jail like hopkins…mcnabb never brought home the big one, but once again, he’s proven that he has more class in his pinky than hopkins would ever even comprehend
B Hop is a great fighter, but come on people, that’s it. This guy has made a living getting punched in the HEAD, why are people paying attention to what he has to say outside of the fight game???????
Thumbs down to Hopkins. Classless. McNabb may have been annoying, but no trash-talking or mean-spirited attacks ever came out of his mouth.
G – You REALLY took some creative Liberty in your inference of what Hopkins said. That McNabb grew up in Chicago w two parents really had LITTLE to do w Hopkins comments. The fact that McNabb was a house cat w the Eagles organization had a LOT to do with it, as much as the fact that he CHOKED in the clutch, was always jerking off on the sidelines druing loses or intense competition, and hamming it up w the enemy after tough losses for the fans. The fact that McNabb cames roaring out ripping air guitar like he’s some rock star from another planet while Dallas had kicked our a$$es in the two previous weeks says it all. Donovan McNabb is NOT a champion. Bernard Hopkins IS. Donovan McNabb is NOT a Hall of Famer. Bernard Hopkins is.
Bernard Hopkins is a fool and it’s a shame anyone cares about what he
says. What criticism he has for McNaab stems from jealousy and ignorance. Is he teaching his children to be ghetto. He is an aging gladiator who needs attention and it’s pathetic that some idiot gave it to him.
Get the facts straight,he never said blacks belong in the ghetto, that is the author’s hyperbole, he shouldn’t have said the things he said but walk in his shoes before you criticize him as a lunatic, he was beaten as a child, no upbringing except for gangs, prison, in spite of that he made his way as a man, a warrior, with a champions mentality, I guarantee you if mcnabb had that same mentality Hopkins would no be on mcnabb, but he is pissed at how soft mcnabb is like a lot of us are, And he is not washed up, would be champ but canadiens ripped him off