As if the falling housing market, rising gas prices, and overall gloomy outlook for the economy weren’t reason enough to go out and get smashed, it’s St. Patrick’s Day. I would bet that 95% of Americans don’t know who Saint Patrick was or why we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. They don’t care either. A day dedicated to drinking alcohol doesn’t need an explanation.

This year, while celebrating the life of St. Patrick and wonderful Irish creations such as the potato and alcohol poisoning, we should be thankful for another Irish product. Black-Irish athletes. Everybody makes a big deal out of black athletes or African-American athletes, but when do you ever hear about the plight of the Blirish athlete? Nobody ever talks about where sports would be without the contributions of Willie O’Ree or Jackie Robinson. We’re trying to change that at YBB and we hope you’ll join us in honoring these men.

Willie McCovey
Donovan McNabb
Shaquille O’Neal
Randall Cunningham
Dee Brown
Dave Stewart
Jason Campbell
Darren McFadden
Lincoln Kennedy
George Lynch
R.W. McQuarters
Larry Hughes
Willie McGee
Bob McAdoo
Larry Fitzgerald
Mookie Wilson
Terrell Buckley
Chris McAllister
Rod Higgins
Antonio McDyess

This list could easily be pushed to 100 with the Mc_s, Macs, Robinsons, Browns, and Wilsons alone. Factor in that the Irish are given credit for Murphy, Smith, Moore, Collins, Martin, White, and Hayes and the list could go on forever. So tonight, when you raise your glasses in honor of your Irish brothers, don’t forget your Irish brothas.

Tags: St. Patrick’s Day, Saint Patrick, March 17, sports