Is This Racist?

From the LVRJ:
A promotional photo for UNLV’s basketball game Wednesday night is being called offensive by many for its depiction of a black New Mexico Lobos player being led on a leash by the Rebels’ mascot, Hey Reb!
Representatives of UNLV’s student section said Tuesday that the photo, which was circulating on social media and being credited by many to UNLV, was not endorsed or posted by anyone officially affiliated with the Rebellion.
“We did not post nor endorse the photo of the African-American player,” a representative of the Rebellion said. “Regardless of the race of the player, no racial intentions were implied by anybody associated with The Rebellion.
“A Lobo is a canine. Hence the leash. We own them in basketball. Therefore, we are walking our dog,” the statement continued.
Zack Peters, the fan who created the photos featuring the Lobos’ former player Jamal Fenton and Cameron Bairstow, told the Review-Journal on Tuesday that the photos were not meant to be racist....
“UNLV Rebellion posted a different photo of a white player on a leash,” he told the RJ. “My mistake was thinking that they posted them both but had deleted the original with a black player.”
http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/uproar-after-unlv-rebellion-accused-posting-racist-photo
I understand the reasoning behind the photo and I don't consider it to be racist, considering the scenario the creator described.
However, there are people who look for racism everywhere you turn.  People like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton come to mind and look for them to come to Las Vegas to protest this photo.
There are 14 players on the Lobo's team and 10 of the players are black, so they got the average New Mexico basketball player.
And if they used the picture of a white player on a leash, would the same people crying racism keep crying racism?  Of course not.
Finally, the New Mexico ex-player, Jamal Fenton, obviously did not think the photo was racist as he volunteered for the picture.
So, if you are the type who goes out of your way to find racism, you will find this photo to be racist, but most people who see this photo will think the photo is clever.
I just wonder how they got Jamal Fenton to take the photo degrading his former team.  Maybe that is who the people from New Mexico should be angry with.