This Just In: Marvin Lewis is Black Too!

Perhaps it was all the hype given to Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith, for being the first two African American coaches to reach the Super Bowl. Perhaps it was just the pressure of seeing his crew spend more time in the cooler than Colonel Hogans boys during the full run of the series. Or perhaps it is the first crack in the armor and an indication of how so many players from one team could get into so much trouble in such a short period of time.

But whatever the reason, Marvin Lewis spoke out the other day on the Dan Patrick show, seemingly to remind everyone that he's black.

"I think there's profiling, no question. We're [Cincinnati] a small place, our guys stand out, and they know that and you've got to do things the right way, but when you are arrested for, or you are pulled over for not putting on your turn signal, there's something wrong there. Many people make right turns without putting on their turn signals and that's unfortunate that we've had a guy that's pulled over for not putting on his turn signal."

There are code words used by both sides in the racial equality lexicon, and "profiling" is one of the big ones. By dropping the P-word, Lewis was basically playing the race card, whether he would rather retract his statement a day later or not. I'm sure the Bengals organization would like to grab Marvin Lewis, shake him and yell "what the fuck are you doing, channeling the ghost of Johnny Freaking Cochran??!!"

Sure, it sucks to be pulled over for not using a turn signal. It's happened to me, and usually, you wind up getting a warning or a ticket, and that's the end of the story. However, if you're pulled over for it at the wrong time, in the wrong part of the city, with the wrong stuff in your possession or in your vehicle, it becomes a bigger issue. Whether your a receiver or a receptionist, black or white.

And to try to minimize the past transgressions of Chris Henry by painting him as a victim of a questionable stop over an insignificant driving violation is laughable. To do it with the race card up your sleeve is irresponsible.

Up until now, Marvin Lewis has been like a Teflon Toilet, maintaining his pristine image as each one of these locker room turds hit the bowl and get flushed through the system, not leaving so much as a tell-tale skid mark on their coach. However, by making these irresponsible statements, and then doing the prepared statement apology dance a day later, I think he's just stepped up as the focal point for all the problems and issues surrounding the Bengals.

And with so many of his players in orange jumpsuits, rather than orange jerseys, Marvin Lewis has a better chance of being the next African American head coach on the unemployment line, than the Superbowl sideline.