Is Robert Swift Bad Because He's White?

Sorry, that question comes out weird. Let's have Brian Robinson of SonicsCentral set the table so we can devour the hypothesis Sonic center Robert Swift's racial insecurity is limiting his performance.

Many of Robert's insecurities seem to stem from the awkward days in high school when he was a ridiculously skinny, pale redhead with acne and a body too long to be tough. The largely African-American basketball team at Bakersfield High just didn't support him very much and it still affects his confidence today. So the insecurity, and the lack of confidence that the team is trying to minimize have some real depth to them. It is tangible and at times debilitating for Swift on the court.

All this stems from the fact that, for the second October in a row, Swift will sit out the first preseason game as Johan Petro instead starts. Robinson reports that last year Swift took the DNP as a betrayal by the franchise, and that this year's reaction is similar. Swift is coming back from a serious injury, which is why I assumed the papers were saying he'd be out of the lineup tonight in Sacramento.

I've never met Swift; I've got no clue what kind of spirit he holds in his chest. It's not a stretch to imagine him alienated and uncertain based on his career to this point. Similarity, it's not a stretch to imagine his physical makeup causing some of those feelings. But really, these psychological contusions are part of being a human. Feeling alone and angry and misplaced ~~and pasty~~... that's all life. At some point, you need to deal with it and do your job. Even if you're a basketball player.