by Notyals  (the opinions  expressed are mine and NOT Ya’ls)

As a child growing up in Chattanooga, Tennessee I remember back in the early 80’s attending an event at church where the late football defensive end, Reggie White applauded his father for his lifetime of support and commitment. He thanked his dad for pushing him and taking him to games and practice. He acknowledged that without his father’s support he possibly would not have graduated from Howard High School and been prepared to play at the college level. I heard him say then what I knew all along, and that is that the parents of children playing sports are the most vested in their success.

Today sports analysts and writers are all up in arms about the handling of contract negotiations by the parent of a star athlete. It just so happens that it’s the athletes mother. His mother is not a friend of professional team owners. She doesn’t have lunch meetings and attend retreats with owners to discuss how they run their business. She’s not a member of their private clubs and she is not a repeat visitor of their swanky vacation spots. But she is a mother and she is a woman. And I think it’s important to note that she is a black woman. As a result, what she does have is more experience and insight than any of them on her son. She does meet often and regularly with him. She has been by his side since he emerged from hers and there is no question that she has his best interest.

Most talking heads will argue that she is not qualified to represent her son’s professional interest. And while some may push back and question why wouldn’t he have a professional agent, I have one question, “what makes her unqualified to be a professional in this area?” I’m certain with every athlete looking for an agent to represent their interest the primary request is that they make them a priority and put their interest above all others. Well, I’m confident that she meets that qualification in a way that no other agent ever could.

What I find particularly fascinating about this concern is that it seems to be quite unique to our American system. When you consider the amazing athletes in that other version of football (soccer) some of the biggest names are represented by their parents. Kylica Mbappe’s mother represents him and so do the fathers of Juan Mata, Neymar Santos, Jr. And yes, even the biggest name in that sport today, Lionel Messi is represented by his father Jorge Messi. But America is unique in that we’ve always felt that certain individuals were better equipped to make decisions involving large sums of money and black labor. And it’s certainly, not women.

And so, while we use this month of March to recognize the many contributions that women have made to our society, let us not so easily dismiss the newly embarked territories that women are now proving themselves in. Women have proven that they can be successful at representing the financial interest of athletes. The simple truth is that a majority of your most visible and talented athletes in America are black. These athletes were born and raised by black women. These women have nurtured and supported them in some of the most depressed conditions and yet they have managed to succeed. These black women, in particular, have proven that they can do this do with exceptional excellence. One needs to look no further than Nicole Lynn and her representation of Quinnen Williams of my beloved New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts.

So, in this age of racial fear and suppression what are we really afraid of? I believe….NO, I’m convinced that the real fear, is not that a guaranteed contract will set some type of irreversible precedent, but that it may begin a trend of future athletes utilizing the gifts and talents of relatives and friends who are not a part of the traditional systems at work in sports. And who better to lead us toward a new form of financial freedom than another black woman.

I can still remember that day Reggie was in church praising his father for what he had done. But I distinctly remember a few months later when he signed a major contract with the Memphis Showboats of the USFL. The reason I remember it so well is because of all the games, practices, and encouragement of his father. When the camera lights flickered and the ink touched the paper contract, he lifted his head and said four words. “Momma, we made it.” Whatever the final outcome maybe in these discussions I think it’s important to salute Felicia Jones for blazing a trail that will impact the culture for decades to come. Salute her for her courage and her strength. I salute her for raising a son like Lamar who understands the value of his mother and women in his life. And I salute her because even before these current discussions, Momma had already made it.