Did you really understand failure? 5 hidden truths behind Jackson’s red card and the system that punishes Black athletes

The Red Card Wasn’t the Problem—The System Was

I watched Jackson get dismissed from the pitch like a footnote in a play no one wrote. That red card? It wasn’t his fault.

It was the system’s signature.

In South Side gyms and under fluorescent lights, we’ve seen this before: young Black strikers pushed to be ‘elite’… but punished when they stumble. The league doesn’t measure heart—it measures fear.

The Myth of “Perfect Striker”

ESPN’s Hyslop called it “low-class.” But he missed the point.

Jackson didn’t need to be perfect—he needed space.

When your team is down—when your backup hasn’t touched the ball—you don’t get mercy.

You get erased.

And then they ask: “What were you thinking?”

We All Remember Lost Games

Mikel shook his head. “Silly. Silly. Silly.” But silence wasn’t silly—strategy was.

Jackson didn’t lose control—he lost his seat at the table. They wanted him to score… but not to breathe.

The Real Competition Isn’t on the Pitch—it’s in the Backroom

This isn’t about football. It’s about who gets invited to dinner—and who gets served last. They gave Jackson an eight-year contract… then pulled his name from the starter list when he scored against hunger, not dignity.  We don’t punish mistakes—we punish visibility.