Black Athletes: A Candid Discussion - Ep. 10

Why do so many Black professional athletes marry white women? This question sparked one of our most thought-provoking conversations yet as Dennis Cotton shared research showing a staggering 41.7% of NBA players have white spouses.

The crew dives deep into this cultural phenomenon, exploring multiple angles from personal experience. We debate whether this trend stems from simple exposure—athletes immersed in predominantly white educational institutions and professional environments—or if deeper psychological and social factors are at play. Our diverse educational backgrounds (from HBCUs to predominantly white universities) fuel a nuanced discussion about how our surroundings shape our romantic preferences.

We don't shy away from uncomfortable truths, including how dramatic lifestyle changes affect relationship choices when athletes enter the pros. When a player's social circle transforms overnight with newfound wealth and fame, their dating pool changes dramatically. The conversation takes a fascinating turn when we explore the notorious "paper bag test" historically used at some institutions—a practice that highlights how colorism has long complicated racial identity within our own community.

Perhaps the most compelling question we tackle: Should successful Black individuals feel any responsibility to "keep their wealth and love within their community," or does the principle of "you love who you love" stand above all else? While we reach no definitive conclusion, we create space for honest reflection on how personal choice intersects with cultural identity.

Share your thoughts on this provocative topic! Reach us at puffanddrinks@gmail.com or find our channel on YouTube. Subscribe now and join us for future episodes—and if you catch us during an upcoming personal appearance, the first fan to greet us might receive something special!

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Chapters

• 0:00 Show Introduction and Drinks
• 1:54 Black Athletes and White Wives Debate
• 6:42 College Experiences and Cultural Exposure
• 13:02 The Paper Bag Test Revealed
• 16:42 Should Wealth Stay in the Community?
• 22:46 Closing Thoughts and Show Information

Transcript

Byron: 0:00

cue the music what's up.

Rodney: 0:09

What's up. What's up? Puff and drink family. Hey, it's good to be back on friday with you guys. I am rotting to cue love, throwing it over to hey, I'm byron b jimmy je.

Jimmie: 0:21

Jimmy Jefferson and my buddy over on the side.

Dennis: 0:24

Dennis Cotton.

Rodney: 0:25

There it is. Yeah, we got a pretty good show for you guys tonight. Mr Cotton has a rather unique topic that he would like to bring to your attention and I am more than happy to give it to you. But beforehand let's do our puff and drink toast. There it is there it is yes Over.

Dennis: 0:51

Let me get my sip.

Byron: 0:52

I do want to say this one I do have a pairing. Oh, I would hope nothing less Okay, so just bought some Knob Creek. Initially I was going to go with the 15-year, until they rang it up and said it was $189. Put that shit back on the shelf, put that shit back on the shelf.

Dennis: 1:13

Fuck it, man, what you talking about.

Rodney: 1:15

So I went back. You know, he got that bum knee.

Byron: 1:19

I come back a couple years and say give me the nine years. Back a couple years and say give me the nine years. And then one of our favorite cigar bars, we have the Sweet Mama, the Sugar Mama. You're going to pretty much only get this in one cigar spot, the Sugar Mama with the Knob Creek. Oh okay, all right, now we're going to turn this over to Dennis.

Jimmie: 1:47

All right.

Byron: 1:47

There we go. We'll talk about that a little later, all right, I want to thank you guys.

Dennis: 1:53

I don't know how this came to my attention, but it just stuck in my head and I had to roll with it. So here's the question why is it that most professional black athletes and I think, but I'm not sure professional or black actors are married to white women? Research and I found out, and it said in 2022, 41.7 percent of the nba players are married to white women. Standard 50, darn near 50, and I have a possible theory. Okay, I mean, I'm sure it's not, you know, like a scientific fact, but here it goes. My theory is that they are exposed to white women. Now think about it for a second. When you're in an NBA game, or even a professional football game, who are the cheerleaders? They are mostly white women. Okay, is that my?

Dennis: 3:08

Depending on the school yeah yeah, well, I'm talking about professionals.

Rodney: 3:13

Okay, okay.

Dennis: 3:15

But even then, unless it's the H, what did you say? Hbcu, what is that? Historical Black College? Oh Well, you know, I went to White University. Shed the noise. Well, you know, I went to, you know, white university, but it's okay. It's okay. There was a few of us up there, I think 12.

Dennis: 3:34

So, anyway, I don't know why it just stuck in my head but, like I said, the research, the Pew Research, said that in 2022, almost half of the professional ballplayers made the white women. Now, is it because, once again, is it because it's primarily white women that they primarily see doing a game you know they're on the floor and everything doing their thing or is it something deeper? Is it because maybe there's a bias?

Byron: 4:08

Well, I hate to cut this kind of short, but we still can expound on it. You actually kind of answered your own question College you went to. You said you were the 12 that went to that college. Well, it was actually 83. I was trying to be funny, Okay, 83 out of how many?

Dennis: 4:27

Oh, 16,000.

Byron: 4:29

Okay, alright, there we go. So you are exposed to a different, a wide range of cultures.

Jimmie: 4:42

Predominantly Eastern Europe.

Byron: 4:43

Right. This is one of the reasons. I'm kind of glad I went in the military, because I got away from just us to the world. You know what I'm saying and that's what happens when you go to college it does. It's supposed to happen you're exposed to the world and the world is exposed to you yep, there you go.

Byron: 5:06

Okay, so some of these okay, we say white women come across a black guy who is like damn, I've always thought that you were this way. I was always taught that you were this way, but you're not at all.

Jimmie: 5:24

You actually do know how to speak.

Byron: 5:26

Yes.

Jimmie: 5:27

Wow, I was already fascinated by your color.

Byron: 5:30

He's articulate.

Rodney: 5:34

He's not combative.

Byron: 5:35

Argumentative. She pressed up on you and you're fascinated because she's fascinated with you and now you're a couple.

Dennis: 5:44

Wait a minute. Okay, that is a logical perspective. But you're in the NBA and when you look at the crowd, there's some of everybody. You had a black mother and a black father. You came from a black family and I'm not saying and let me put this out there right now, I'm not saying that you should marry black. I'm not saying that If you love, you love who you love.

Dennis: 6:17

You love who you love you love who you love, but you can't dismiss the fact that in 2022, almost half of the players made white women. There's got to be some bias there. There's got to be.

Rodney: 6:35

I look at it like this and we can pretty much mirror it to our success. In a sense, when you go high in a draft, you, when you go high in the draft, you don't just go high for the job, the competition sees you also and it's like hey, let me hop on as quickly as I can.

Byron: 6:53

You know, I mean hey a good looking working black man.

Rodney: 6:57

I ain't got no problems. We high in the draft. So imagine if we were millionaires. I assure you that you know they would line up accordingly.

Jimmie: 7:07

Well, and then, and to that, to that topic and everything else, I went to a black college, I went to an HBCU and then when you go to an HBCU, it was coming from Detroit and going down to Atlanta at the time and even now going into the city of Atlanta. It was a culture shock to me, because this is the flip side of the coin. When I got down there, it was more of me, I saw more of me, you know, and coming from the city of Detroit. You guys already know that everybody, we all grew up here. You know that we're we're kind of sort of in a diverse areas you know once you're in.

Jimmie: 7:41

You know in the city of Detroit if you went to a black school, a black high school or? Whatever it is, what it is, but anything outside of that. If you crossed over a certain mile road or something like that, your world changed.

Rodney: 7:56

That's true.

Jimmie: 7:58

So you take my point exactly.

Byron: 8:00

So when I got down there, you crossed across the road, exactly, exactly so when I got down there, exactly so.

Jimmie: 8:04

When I crossed over and went over and down into Atlanta and everything else, it was a culture shock to me because I had not seen me like that in one, you know, compact area. So you know, to that point, I think the same thing happened with some of these college you know, some of these, you know NBA players, nfl players and so forth are on the line. They're in a compact situation because you got to think about it. When you go to a predominantly white university, of course it is what it is. He's not seeing himself, he doesn't see himself. He just sees someone that he fell in love with or he might find some kinship with. See someone that he fell in love with or he might find some kinship with. You know, and I, I get it and everything else that it, that the nba, it carries over to the nba and nfl.

Jimmie: 8:52

But you know, to rodney's point, when these guys get, you know, become first round draft picks or even a draft pick period, and you know they go from having absolutely nothing, well, guess what? Their whole circle changes. Yeah, you can't be Ron Derrick around the hood. You might try to act like Ron Derrick around the hood, but your whole circle has now changed. You are now in a different tax bracket altogether. So I'm not saying that that you know, calls them to to these guys or anything. But you know you got to keep in mind. What does their circle look like?

Byron: 9:32

here you go check this one out, all right, so let's put one out there on the table. That actually happened and it went south, okay, okay, yeah, that went bad that went bad Okay, but she's Hispanic though, but still Okay. Some of them identify as white, okay.

Jimmie: 9:52

That's true, that's true.

Byron: 9:53

Okay, all right, so here we go. I think she looked at him as a cash cow. Yeah, okay. They got married in a state where it doesn't matter how long you've been married. You can get half. You could be married one day. You get half.

Jimmie: 10:14

You get half Damn. She caught the bag.

Dennis: 10:17

That was smart.

Jimmie: 10:18

She caught the bag.

Dennis: 10:19

It was evil as hell but smart.

Byron: 10:20

They were married three months. She caught the bag Damn. She went in asking for $40 million.

Jimmie: 10:29

Yeah, I saw that this is before. No, I don't think she got it. They're still doing it. Oh, okay, all right, all right.

Byron: 10:37

And then, on top of that, she won an alimony. Yeah, oh my God, you haven't even developed a lifestyle. How are you asking for alimony?

Dennis: 10:47

You haven't even consummated the relationship. Yeah, wow.

Jimmie: 10:50

Yeah, no kids yeah.

Byron: 10:56

No kids, yeah, no kids. Wow, 40 million off the bat.

Jimmie: 10:58

I mean. But you know, to Dennis' point and everything else, I get it. You know what he's saying about the 41%, you know. But we also got to keep in mind too that you know, just because they do doesn't necessarily mean anything. It really and truly does. No, no, no, like.

Dennis: 11:12

I said, Like we say you love who you love.

Jimmie: 11:14

You love who you love.

Dennis: 11:15

My question is is it you love who you love, or is there some? I'm going to marry a white woman, because black women are this, that and the third.

Jimmie: 11:24

That's a personal thing.

Byron: 11:27

That is a personal thing.

Rodney: 11:28

I will say this Just like you, I went to a white college. I went to HBCU first, I went to Central State, then I said well, shoot Eastern's a little bit cheaper. And they gave me a little bit more money, Sir.

Jimmie: 11:42

it was a whole hell of a lot cheaper. If we're going to be honest it's a whole hell of a lot.

Rodney: 11:47

So transfer I went and I got to be honest with you. I went to one union party. You know wherever all the Greeks went, and if you wasn't Greek or if you wasn't an athlete girls, they had nothing to do with you. So I got pissed off and I left. It becomes status. Yeah, that's a status thing. As I'm walking back to my dorm, I walked past the gamma, gamma, gamma, white girl club and they were like hey, you want to have a beer with us?

Byron: 12:21

I'm like why are you being so?

Rodney: 12:21

nice to me. He had a Jerry Curlin all at the time too. I mean, it was flopping A little drip. A little drip he sprayed and went in All of a sudden, you know, people were nice to him, like hey, hey, you know, hey know, hey, rod, you want to come sit with us and I ain't gonna pay for that pizza.

Jimmie: 12:38

No, it's there for everyone to eat.

Rodney: 12:44

I'm like this is an interesting lifestyle here even going to.

Jimmie: 12:53

I went to more house, going to Morehouse and everything else. When you get there and everything else, it's all black. Everybody knows that You're actually divided up. That whole concept, that whole movie that we saw, that Spike Lee did, and everything else y'all know what I'm talking about School days. That actually happened. That's real. That's very real. The light-skinned brothers versus the dark-skinned brothers. We ain't really got to separate our shit from anyone else.

Rodney: 13:25

We do it on our own we do it on our own.

Jimmie: 13:29

You have that whole situation there and everything else. That whole concept, that whole thing existed and you know and I'm quite sure we're probably going to get a ton of comments on this and everything else but anybody who's gone to the center down in Atlanta, georgia, they know exactly what the hell I'm talking about. Paperback there you go that at one point in time that was one of the requirements, you know, for you to actually attend one of the universities there.

Byron: 13:55

Yep.

Jimmie: 13:56

Yep Wow.

Byron: 13:58

Yep, yep, that's great Okay.

Dennis: 13:59

You got to explain Once again. I went to Central Michigan University.

Jimmie: 14:03

What is the paper bag test? You had to be the color of the paper bag.

Byron: 14:06

Right, oh, yes, you have made it, you made it.

Jimmie: 14:11

You have made it Now if you were too dark, if you were darker than that bag, your ass ain't going.

Dennis: 14:20

All right, and again, man, y'all got to fill my drink. That caught me off guard. He did not understand that.

Rodney: 14:33

So, dennis, you would have been able to go, he would have been able to go, he would have been able to go. Hey, hey, hey, I didn't know. I'm sorry. You and Byron have been all right, but me and Jimmy, we've been cutting that grass. That grass ain't going to cut itself there, boy. Get out of the yard boy. Hey, cut them. Hedges you missed a twig Wow.

Jimmie: 14:59

Yeah, man. Yeah, man, I did and that was predominantly part of you know the culture within some of the actual HBCUs, right. So you know to your point and everything else. When these brothers leave out of you know the predominantly white universities, they get to the pros. When you only know what you know, this is what you bring, which is the only thing that you know. You know and you got to keep in mind some of these kids are coming from. You know some impoverished areas.

Byron: 15:25

I'm not saying that's the answer, either, right you?

Jimmie: 15:28

know. But when they're coming from these impoverished areas you got to think you know these kids, you know their mind changes dramatically because when you get to that point where you're a superstar in college, you know, you all that and fat bag of chips. Well, you know, shaquilla, she was all right. You know, when you were in high school, when your ass was in high school. Shaquilla was all right, you know, but you get in there. Becky's a little different.

Rodney: 15:56

Mandy, at least she ain't yelling at me, she ain't asking you?

Jimmie: 16:02

who the hell who blowing up your cell phone? You know that.

Dennis: 16:08

I know y'all going in.

Jimmie: 16:12

Let us not stand on ceremony that happens on both sides of the fence, though, trust me, it does.

Dennis: 16:17

All right, so let me throw this question out and I'll be done.

Byron: 16:19

No, you keep talking shit. We're good, right, right, this is your show.

Rodney: 16:24

Because we have to get comments from the audience.

Dennis: 16:27

So is it should? I'm not quite sure how to word this, should? I'm not quite sure how to word this, but is it not their responsibility to at least consider keeping their wealth and their love alive within their community? Or do they love who they love? Let me make it simple. Shall I consider a black woman first, and if I can't find love from a black woman, then I gravitate towards a white woman?

Rodney: 16:57

that is that, that is our question, that is my question, bro, you know in all honesty, I, I think whoever tickles your fancy at that time that's love, who you love.

Byron: 17:07

Yeah, so that and that's right now. Yes, ok, and I'm just playing devil's advocate here. Back then we were raised to love your own.

Dennis: 17:21

Right, thank you.

Byron: 17:22

You know what? I'm saying and if you did, you were cast aside, mm-hmm, you know, and that went on both sides.

Dennis: 17:32

Oh yeah, when you say cast aside, let's not sleep on that statement. Well, what do you mean when you say cast aside.

Byron: 17:36

What I'm saying is that when I mean by cast aside is that if I brought a white woman home, I might have a fit, my family would have a fit.

Rodney: 17:44

Well, the barbecue won't be the same, it won't be the same. She won't.

Dennis: 17:49

I'm sorry. She will be the one everyone stared at, and then vice versa.

Byron: 17:55

Right, right, right, vice versa.

Rodney: 17:57

What does she?

Byron: 17:58

eat? Does she eat red?

Jimmie: 18:00

hots, yeah, is she vegan? Oh, okay, then Does she bring potatoes down?

Byron: 18:08

And one of the stereotypical things did she eat chicken? Yeah, look, that's one of the I mean.

Jimmie: 18:16

But if we're going to call a spade a spade, you already know to that.

Byron: 18:19

Look, I can't eat watermelon. I'm allergic to watermelon. Don't bring that fucking stereotype shit to me. I'm allergic to watermelons. Don't bring that fucking stereotype shit to me. I'm allergic to watermelons. Okay, oh, my god. So I don't want to hear that Stereotypical shit, you know.

Dennis: 18:42

Oh, you guys are funny.

Byron: 18:46

True facts. It is what it is funny to them. That's true facts. I mean, it is what it is.

Jimmie: 18:53

I mean you know and you know, let us not stand on ceremony. We already know that our culture we push back just as hard as the other cultures do and we don't want our culture, you know, infiltrated. It happens.

Byron: 19:09

They don't want theirs infilt, you know infiltrated.

Jimmie: 19:10

It happens they don't want theirs infiltrated either.

Byron: 19:12

But it happens, that's true, you know, look, we have already been infiltrated. That's why, yeah, that is true. We are totally different complexions. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Dennis: 19:24

If we're going to talk about it, we're going to talk about it. We're going to talk about it, we're talking about it. But what is that? They used to say If you got one ounce of black blood in you, you are black yeah.

Byron: 19:31

That is right. Okay, now I've talked to people and there's a little difference in that. Whatever your father is is what you are. That is correct. That is correct.

Jimmie: 19:46

It's not one ounce of black. That's the science part of whatever, whatever, your, whatever that it was right, right, that's what you are right, right, okay, so it's, it's a, it's a strange kind of thing and and and you know again, you know I don't want to get off of dennis's point too much and everything else, but it's just. You know, when you see the nba and the nfl and everything else, you know we, we know that, you know the sisters get agitated because they see you know, and we're just gonna be honest.

Byron: 20:16

You know they do and the brothers and the brothers, the brothers do too, and I get that and everything else, but at the same national time.

Jimmie: 20:23

You got to understand these guys are not in the same bracket you are in anymore. They don't hang around the same circles. No, more. They can't, you're not going in and, shaquilla, I apologize.

Rodney: 20:35

You don't see Shaquilla. Shaquilla is not there, you'll see her at the shake dance party.

Jimmie: 20:39

Well, you know, you can't have a shake dance party without Shaquilla. Thank you for keeping us grounded.

Rodney: 20:48

Rodney, you know, thank you. I mean, I heard about these. I've never been.

Jimmie: 20:52

You know, same here, same here. I heard these. They still have Shake Dance parties. I don't know anything about them. You don't own that Epstein item.

Rodney: 21:04

I know that's right. That's the ring the. I know that's right. Ring the bell, shit yeah.

Jimmie: 21:12

I don't you know, I get it, I understand it, but at the same time you got to respect your circles.

Byron: 21:16

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know that's just the way you know these guys roll Now.

Rodney: 21:20

Dennis and I, we have a mutual colleague and he was Black Panther big time. But he lived with a white woman, oh yeah. And he would be the first to say I can't stand them europeans, but you live with one I know that's right and had a child and had a child, wow, and we would be sitting amongst everybody talking and he'd be like them. Europeans is blah, blah blah and everybody's like okay.

Byron: 21:49

And she's in the back like power to the people.

Rodney: 21:54

Kill Whitey daddy.

Dennis: 21:58

Oh my.

Rodney: 21:59

God Woo, daddy, you show them, daddy.

Dennis: 22:07

Oh, my God. Wow, okay, I am glad I came out tonight guys.

Jimmie: 22:12

Okay then, Folks, we do have to make sure everybody understands. Please. If you have any comments and everything else, please let us know. We're open to the comments and we don't slight you one way or another.

Byron: 22:26

We just want you to comment Bottom line. How can I contact us?

Jimmie: 22:30

They can reach us through puff and drinks at gmailcom and they can always go to our channel on YouTube. You just all you got to do is type puff and drinks. Trust me, kids.

Byron: 22:39

It comes up there you go, see this logo.

Jimmie: 22:41

Yeah, can't help, but see it Can't help, but see it.

Rodney: 22:44

We're out there folks. We're out there. Merge. We've got a bunch of stuff, hey, and we're going to have a lot more. We'll be making a lot of personal appearances, yes, and we will be proactive with telling you guys where we're going to be and the first person that shows and says, hey, I'm out here to blow smoke with Pup and Drinks Y'all. You might get something there you go.

Byron: 23:06

We might even get you the bill.

Jimmie: 23:10

Somebody gotta pay for my damn drinks. You'll love that one. Somebody should be paying for my damn drinks.

Rodney: 23:16

I came out here and nobody Paying for my damn drinks. We'll treat you like those dates to see if that's stinking.

Byron: 23:28

I'll be right back Exactly. Here's your free glass. Here's your free glass.

Dennis: 23:35

Hey, how much time we got left.

Rodney: 23:37

We have eight minutes.

Dennis: 23:39

Yeah, once again, you love who you love. This was not meant to slam anybody you love, who you love.

Byron: 23:48

This was not meant to slam anybody you love who you love.

Dennis: 23:50

I wanted to put that out. As long as she's cute. That's the requirement.

Byron: 23:55

I don't know about all that.

Rodney: 23:57

Well, it depends on how hard it is. Well, you could be walking around with a Buddha bear. Gotta get that booger shit in there, boy. In there with that booger bear.

Byron: 24:09

There's somebody for everybody. Yes, somebody for everybody. Somebody for everybody.

Rodney: 24:16

I am not getting anybody gates for their slow nose.

Byron: 24:20

You like it, I love it. There you go, there you go. It don't matter what the culture is man.

Jimmie: 24:25

I mean, it doesn't matter If you ended up with a booger Bear, that's what you got.

Rodney: 24:28

That's what you got. You got a Booker.

Dennis: 24:29

Bear, if you're happy, we're happy. We ain't got to hang out with you, I know that's right, you know, booker Sugarfall Gang.

Rodney: 24:39

All right, we love the hell out you guys. Yes, we do, we love the hell out, you guys. Yes, we do, and we are so happy to be back. Listen, gang, like us, love us, blow smoke with us, subscribe and again, if you come out with us, we sticking your ass with the check. There it is. You should have known when you got there. We told you, we tried to tell you. So, gang, let's toast up. There you go Once again. My cup is empty. You drink too damn fast. Cheers, sorry.

Rodney: 25:22

Sorry, god, we will see y'all in a minute, y'all take care Byron B. Rodney Q Love Jimmy.

Jimmie: 25:28

Jefferson.

Rodney: 25:30

Dennis.

Byron: 25:31

L Cotton Signing out. All right, there it is, thank you.