Took. the. words. right. out. of. my. mouth.
Jason said exactly what my interpretation of the interview was. I don't think that LJ is racist, but to a point, he
tried to toss that race card around when explaining the difference between deck and Herm. It's not like he struggled in his young life. He played for Penn State, with his old man there. He ain't hurting for a better life. Maybe (this is me talking) that's probably a small factor in being a bitter kid. He couldn't do what he wanted to do in Happy Valley, as long as his dad was watching over his shoulder and his family being in town.
My major contention was how he insulted Vermeil's staff by saying that (paraphrasing) "they have never played football, how would they know how to coach me?" That's a bullshirt statement to make. Vermeil had been in this business for nearly four decades. Clearly he knows how to coach players, regardless who the heck they are and where they are from.
Vermeil is an emotional touchy-feely guy around his players. He wants to know them on a personal level, and to a point, is concern about the well-being of his players (that's the perception I have of him. I could be wrong.). Yes, that can be a bit obsessive for deck, but LJ should have known that when he arrived in K.C.. Jason was spot on with how Vermeil handled it, but Vermeil must have known something then that is making us discuss this thread now: maturity. LJ "expected" to be the starter and when he didn't what he wanted, he bitched. The only way that LJ was going to play and start, Priest either had to be traded, leave as a free agent, or be injured.
Herm is cut from the same Vermeil coaching cloth, sans the time management on the field during the game. Herm is a "player's coach" as well. For LJ to use Herm as a "he understands me, 'cause I black" gauge is childish.
LJ can stop trying to be the Angry Black Man and being "hard."
The term "hard" is short for "street hardness" which is a human attribute found most commonly in persons that grew up or spent a prolonged period of time in an urban environment where law enforcement is generally handled by the local population, such as a ghetto.
If he isn't satisfied of his accomplishments to date and if he's going to harbor most of his past transgressions, then he is the one who isn't "relating" to everyone else. He's fortunate to grow up in a great home and a great family. He need to ask a few of his teammates who were not so fortunate growing up and how they were able to survive, so that LJ can understand what it's really like to be "hard."
Or I guess that someone finally told him "no" and not "yes" to what he wants.