Shannon Sharpe: Mike McCarthy Smashing Watermelons to Motivate Players Is Racist
By Liam McKeone | Nov 24, 2020, 11:56 AM EST
Yesterday, some Dallas Cowboys news made the rounds in the form of a Mike McCarthy motivational tale. McCarthy felt the Cowboys, struggling mightily to win games this season after Dak Prescott went down for the year, needed an extra boost before their Sunday matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. He gave it to them in the form of a sledgehammer smashing watermelons in a hotel room.
#Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy pulled out a sledgehammer during Saturday night’s team meeting and smashed watermelons like Gallagher to emphasize their objectives. Players roared, then responded with an inspired win in Minnesota. @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/oiUThTYuYJ
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 23, 2020
As suggested by the report, the players were inspired by it, and it showed on the field as the Cowboys upset the Vikings.
On Tuesday, Shannon Sharpe said to Skip Bayless on Undisputed he felt the act was racist and was astounded that the black Cowboys players were fine with it.
Shannon Sharpe on How Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy smashing watermelons with a sledgehammer to motivate his players is racist pic.twitter.com/uvNaHCCG75
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) November 24, 2020
Watermelon has long been associated with negative stereotypes of the African-American community. Sharpe feels that was invoked by McCarthy and is clearly upset everybody else thinks it's a fun coaching story. From all due reports, it does not seem the Cowboys players felt the same way at the time.