Visits

Monday, September 15, 2008

Tears of a Brown

Entertainments - Tears of a Brown - NYTimes.com
Tears of a Brown

By JASON ZINOMAN

Quick quiz: Who was the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy? Here’s a hint: He was a running back for Syracuse University and wore No. 44. If you guessed Jim Brown, you’re wrong. The correct answer is the virtually forgotten Ernie Davis, who broke many of Brown’s records and also broke barriers as the first African-American to be chosen No. 1 in the N.F.L. draft. Soon after, he was diagnosed with leukemia and died before playing a single pro game. Here, Jim Brown talks about his friend and the new film “The Express,” which tells the story of Davis’s life. It opens Oct. 10.

“The Express” is about racism in football in the early ‘60s. Have things changed much since then?

I’ll be candid with you. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the belief in the Caucasian world that there is a slight superiority because of the color of their skin. It’s very subtle [but] it prevails even in really fine people.

After being drafted by the Redskins, Davis was traded to your team, the Cleveland Browns, potentially crowding the backfield.

Our running styles were too similar. He was my friend and I loved him, but I don’t know if that would have worked.

Were you upset with the trade?

I don’t get upset, my brother. It’s not in my vocabulary. I don’t own the club. I’m just a gladiator passing through.

Could Davis have been great?

He had intelligence, balance, speed. He had everything I had, but we’ll never know.

You’re a character in the film. What’s the secret to playing you?

Just be cool. Don’t get too vociferous.

Why aren’t players today as outspoken as you were?

They don’t study and read. If they understood history, they would never shake their butts in the end zone. COURTESY OF THE NYTIMES

No comments: