When will sportscasters learn to avoid commenting on race matters? In this latest example of broadcast foolishness, legendary Notre Dame quarterback turned announcer Paul Hornung suggested that his alma mater should lower its academic standards so it could "get the black athlete." He's implying, of course, that black athletes and academic standards are somehow mutually exclusive. He's also saying that blacks are better athletes than whites, at least on the football field.

Such issues are subject to debate, but our society has long made it clear that it's taboo to venture into those debates on air. Years ago, Jimmy the Greek lost his job for related comments, as did former Dodger GM Al Campanis more recently. Maybe Hornung is next.

For its part, Notre Dame has denounced Hornung's comments, stating that they are "generally insensitive and specifically insulting to our past and current African-American student-athletes."

And for the record, of next year's incoming Notre Dame freshmen football players, 12 are black and five are white.