It's Not About Race: Why Spurs fans prefer Soldado to Adebayor

Both Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado are seemingly at the end of their time as Tottenham strikers but almost universally, fans wish Soldado the best while hoping Adebayor is finally consumed by the Juju. Why do Spurs fans remain sympathetic to Bobby while burying Adebayor?

Right off the bat let me address the possibility that this is based on race. I imagine for some fans this might be the case, but I don't see it as the primary motivation for many fans. I think the cultural relatibility of Soldado for most fans is significantly higher than Adebayor's given their backgrounds but at best, that is an undercurrent for most.

The real reason behind the difference between the two in fan's minds comes down to visible effort in the pitch. Close your eyes and think of Soldado....chances are the image in your mind is of his face marred in angst after a near goal. Now do the same for Adebayor...you likely get an entirely different image. Perhaps you are like me and are cursed to see the image of he and Sherwood locked in salute, maybe you see him loafing after a loose ball or even in an Arsenal kit. The point is we have always been convinced of Soldado's effort and care for his performance while Adebayor has frequently been absent both physically and emotionally.

The psychology behind this is pretty straightforward. We can all relate to Soldado as a man who gives his best effort and is suitably frustrated. Who among us hasn't tried their best and failed at something? On the other hand, there are precious few Tottenham fans know what it feels like to squander enormous talent while being made rich with zero apparent misgivings. Adebayor is the classic villain while Soldado represents the quintessential Everyman hero. It is a story old as time. To sum it up, we like Soldado because he gives a damn. We ridicule Adebayor because he doesn't.

Lastly let me say to critics who will defend Adebayor due to his personal difficulties you can save your breath. I know that Adebayor's family is as crazy as a box of ducks and that he has done a great deal of charitable work. Ever wonder why we seem to know every twist and turn of Adebayor's life? We know because he wants us to see his personal life as a justification or counterweight for his lack of on field performance and effort. I don't blame him for the strategy but let's view it for what it is. It's a public relations strategy from his agent not a series of heartfelt mea culpas.

So fellow Yids continue on wishing Soldado the best while hoping the Juju finally does Ade in. After all, he once played for Arsenal. Do we need a better reason for our disdain?

Why can't a white guy play like a black guy? Reverse race NBA Draft comparisons #NBA #NBADraft #Racism

By this point in the draft process we have all heard each draft prospect compared to a litany of NBA All Stars. The most annoying thing about this isn't the superfluous hype each prospect receives. Instead, the worst thing about these comparisons is the racism that dominates each one. Every white player has to be compared to a scrappy, heady, sweet shooting Caucasian while every black player is measured against an athletic, explosive African American baller. I don't think it's the goal of all draft gurus to promote this passive racism, but it doesn't make it any less racist. As such, I am going to entertain you with some reverse race player comparisons. The rules are simple. I will make comparison for the draft's top prospects but it cannot be a player of the same race. I will even try to avoid comparisons based on country off origin which I also find ridiculous. Without further comment, here goes my effort to combat draft racism.

1. Karl Anthony-Towns- Tough comp right off the bat. Towns is a very unique prospect who has serious athletic gifts but can also stretch the floor. Stretch fives are a relatively recent phenomenon so we don't have a ton of options. The closest one I can come up with is Rik Smits before his feet robbed him of athleticism. He was explosive around the rim and had great touch. Towns is a better athlete, but lacks the refined post game of Smits in his prime. Still, the comp fits overall. Don't forget how great the Dutchman was for those Pacers teams.

2. Jahlil Okafor- As tough as the Towns comp was, this one is pretty simple. We are talking about a really skilled post with questionable lateral quickness. He sounds like most every white center ever. Still, his offensive game is special. I also think he has the potential to be a slightly above average NBA defender which puts me in a minority. Okafor is a rich man's Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Think about it, Big Z had an awesome post game and could even protect the rim somewhat. However, he struggled to defend and was never the rebounder he should have been. Bet LeBron would love to have Okafor around like he had Big Z early in his career.

3. Kristaps Porzingis- He is a big man who may not have an exact position, but can really score in a variety of ways. He can step out and shoot from distance and is explosive around the rim. He reminds me of Amare Stoudamire. In his prime Amare was a terror at the cup and could stretch the floor for running mate Steve Nash. Not sure if he was ever a perfect five, he played there to be a matchup nightmare. Porzingis has the same mindset. Attack the mismatch, and hope your defense is good enough to let your offense make you a star.

4. Justise Winslow- I almost went with Goran Dragic here but instead I'll opt for Manu Ginobili. Winslow will make his mark in the NBA as a tough matchup leading the offense in the 4th quarter. Don't think he can run a club for 48 minutes but will be excellent in crunch time. Not a great shooter, but streaky, Winslow will hope to settle into the same role as Manu in the League.

5. Emmanuel Mudiay- This guy has everything you want athletically to be an exceptional PG. The question is whether or not he can develop the shooting stroke required to be elite. So the easy comp is Jason Williams. Mudiay may even end up with the same franchise. I don't have any doubts that Mudiay will have tons of highlights, but can he find the consistency that White Chocolate never could?

6. D'Angelo Russell- I sort of gave it away earlier but I'm going Goran Dragic here. Both guys are good, but not great athletes and excel on offense. Each is a lead guard who is capable of putting up big numbers and getting teammates involved. Russell is one of the safest guards in the Draft and should be able to reach Dragic heights relatively early in his career.

7. Willie Cauley-Stein- This one is pretty easy, Andrei Kirilenko. Both guys are on another planet in terms of defensive ability but lack clearly defined offensive skills. WCS is more of a post than AK47 but both guys see their value when you check steals, blocks and deflections in the stat sheet.

8. Mario Hezonja- He is an instant offense guy who has a flair for the game. I can easily see him having a career arc similar to Demar Deroazan. Both guys are long and athletic, but will make their living with their jumpers. Hezonja should be an instant impact guy who can help a team right away.

9. Devin Booker- If you had never seen him and just read scouting reports, you would probably think he looked like Brad Stevens. The comp here is JJ Reddick. Both guys can really shoot it and are better athletes than you believe at first glance. Add in the shared characteristic that each guy comes into the League with a sense of how to play as a shooter from their college experience and it's an easy comp.

10. Frank Kaminsky- Frank the Tank is a stretch big who shoots it pretty well, uses his body to battle underneath but lacks elite athleticism. He reminds me a ton of a young David West. Both guys will stretch the floor but may not take it all the way behind the arc. Both can also utilize one or two dribbles to reach a sweet spot for an open 2. Kaminsky may not have great upside, but I'll bet he is in the League for the long haul.

There you go, player comps CAN transcend race. If the feedback is strong, I'll go deeper into the draft pool, but for now enjoy these 10. As always, retweets and shares are welcome! Keep your eyes on balls!