How to avoid an awkward question, Sports edition

Paul "Dr. Z." Zimmerman being interviewed about the latest Football Hall of Famers:

SI.com: Were you surprised that Warren Moon was elected?

Dr. Z: Last year at the Super Bowl, Moon was out there doing radio or TV work, I can't remember which, for some station in Seattle. We started talking about the Hall of Fame. He was too polite to ask me what his chances were, but I brought it up and told him he had a hell of a good chance. He didn't think so. He thought the field was too strong. I told him, "You have a good shot because everybody liked you. You never stiffed anybody and you were always friendly and cooperative. I don't want to take anything away from your qualifications as a player, but those selectors in there are also writers and they have long memories. Their memories of you are all good ones." I hope I made him feel better.

SI.com: Was race ever brought up in the Warren Moon debate?

Dr. Z: It's been a long time since he ran track. And I don't know what race Moon really ran, the 100, 220, 400?

SI.com: How about ethnicity?

Dr. Z: I never discuss terms I can't spell.