I hate that it comes down to the battle of black vs white like everything else seems to, but it does. What also plays a part, however, is that this is Rodgers’ first time on the wrong side of the argument, while players like Newton & Irving have run afoul of public opinion before. Add to that the perception that the latter two are diminishing talents (or at least carry diminishing value, in Irving’s case), and you have the foundation laid for controversy with more weight being put on the former’s still-superstar status…and it doesn’t help that he’s a white male in a “white means right” society.