In present, the 2017th year of our Lord, it is not really all that socially acceptable to deny someone their identity. It is not really the place for anyone to tell someone that they are not something they claim to be; an example being “despite what you say, I know what black looks like and you are not it.” That’s not chill.

But it has recently come to light that Mike Tirico has claimed that he is not black and I have to admit I’m quite skeptical.

Mike Tirico was previously an announcer for ESPN and currently acts as an NBC Sports announcer. Tirico was raised by an Italian middle-class family in Queens. His parents separated when he was four.

“The only contact I had growing up was with my mom’s side of the family. And they are all as white as a refrigerator,” Tirico told the Post-Standard.

Of course, you are wondering: ‘Well then, maybe his dad is black?’

However, according to Tirico, he has seen pictures of his father and other members of his father’s family—whom are apparently all white.

“When people go around and say, ‘You are black’—well, I don’t encourage it, but by the same token I don’t back off of it…If you want to call me that, that’s fine. But, you know, in my whole family, there’s nobody I know who is black,” Tirico has said.

Personally, I think the boy definitely has some African blood running through his veins. He may not know what it means to be culturally black, but I am sure that he at least understands the prejudice of what it means to be black because despite what he says he does look black to the average pedestrian.

Tirico has said, “I know the story sounds like a lot of bull, but it’s the truth.”

I believe he does not think he is black. I do. And not in the OJ, "I Am Above Race" way.

But I also think he probably is black somewhere in his genealogy–who knows how far down the line.

Maybe one day he will find out for himself whether he is truly black or not.