All it took was a misunderstanding from Josh Jacobs to begin a firestorm across the Packers vs. Eagles season opener in São Paulo, the primary time an NFL sport will happen in Brazil.
On Thursday, Jacobs made an off-hand touch upon Chris Lengthy’s podcast saying that Inexperienced Bay was informed by the NFL they aren’t allowed to put on inexperienced in Brazil due to the danger of gang violence.
”You realize, they mentioned that the a part of Brazil we’re going to, you may’t even put on inexperienced in any respect. They mentioned, I assume, one thing to do with the gangs and stuff.”
Jacobs stored hammering dwelling this concept that going to Brazil was going to be ludicrously harmful for gamers, saying they have been informed they won’t be allowed to depart their resort rooms, and positing that they is perhaps adopted by armored vehicles and guards wherever they go.
This sparked a frenzy, with dozens of shops parroting Jacobs’ phrases with out bothering to see in the event that they have been even true. Deeply rooted in xenophobia, it painted Brazil as a rustic the place NFL gamers can be focused at each flip, elevating questions of why the league would despatched gamers to a rustic the place their lives is perhaps in fixed hazard.
Because it seems Jacobs claims have been whole and utter bullshit. On Friday morning he provided an apology, merely saying he was “misinformed.”
The harm was already finished. Now the NFL is making an attempt its greatest to battle the misinformation. The league is saying there is no such thing as a safety danger, there is no such thing as a gang danger, gamers is not going to be confined, there are not any plans for armored autos, and there can be no bans on uniform selections for the sport. Primarily all the pieces Jacobs mentioned was flawed, however that hasn’t stopped it being the brand new prevailing sentiment concerning the sport being performed in Brazil.
There’s a sliver of reality to inexperienced being a problematic coloration, nevertheless it has completely nothing to do with gangs. The Packers vs. Eagles sport is about to happen at Neo Química Enviornment, dwelling of Brazilian soccer staff Corinthians. Their colours are black and white, and their No. 1 rival Palmeiras wears inexperienced.
So, any backlash over the colour inexperienced isn’t gang associated, nevertheless it’s about two groups who predominantly put on inexperienced jerseys taking part in in a stadium that hates the colour inexperienced. Any dialogue of uniform modifications seemingly had nothing to do with potential violence, however respect for his or her hosts.
As well as, it’s been identified that dozens of groups have worn inexperienced within the Corinthians stadium earlier than, and it’s by no means prompted any sort of unrest. Particularly contemplating the NFL sport wouldn’t occasion register as a part of this soccer rivalry.
This “my unhealthy” from Josh Jacobs is sweet. At the very least he apologized. Nonetheless, the harm is already finished. Brazil has been painted within the eyes of many as a lawless hellscape that shouldn’t be internet hosting an NFL sport, all due to Jacobs’ woefully incorrect feedback.
There are myriad social points in Brazil, rampant earnings inequality points, and sure like all main cities there’s gang exercise. Nonetheless, there is no such thing as a hazard to NFL gamers for merely taking part in a sport within the nation. It’s a disgrace we even must debunk rubbish like this.
