OC Register: Jack Morris apologizes for racially insensitive comment about Shohei Ohtani

[PattyD22]

27 minutes ago, DCAngelsFan said:

If it was supposed to be Elmer Fudd, it was *still* a terrible impersonation.

Saying "veddy" instead of "vewwy" makes it a questionable thing to say - or more accurately, a questionable way to say it.  

But to be honest, people calling for his job seem like a bigger problem to me than what he said.   

 

I also feel like me “liking” what you posted, because it’s exactly how I feel, makes me feel like people can construe this as me being racist also.

And I’m not.

 

[gotbeer]

It wasn't like he was disparaging or making fun of Ohtani.  On the scale of outraged to whatever.  I'm closer to the whatever, he apologized, move on.  

[Lhalo]

He needs to be doxed, cancelled and burned at the stake. I'll buy the pitchforks and torches. 

Who's coming with me to Detroit?!!!!!!!!!

[m0nkey]

It’s amazing South Park has been able to last 20+ years with the way the world is 

[jsnpritchett]

 

[Blarg]

That was unecessary.

[Torridd]

11 hours ago, ScottT said:

Oof.

For the record, I'm not embarrassed for my race or gender. If you are... oof. 

I also don't happen to think Jack Morris should lose his job because of what he said.

This place would have eight posters if we were held to such standards. 

It's different. He is broadcasting. Shouldn't happen.  But is it racist?  That's a stretch.

He fucked up. We all fuck up. Get over it.

I think it depends on several things: his tenure, what he said, in what context, and his track record. It sounds like he was trying to be funny and  didn't think. Like all things like this, it often comes down to public outrage. If the "world" doesn't come down on him, he'll probably keep his job.

[Torridd]

43 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

 

Wow, suspended. It's too bad, but like I said above he probably won't be fired if this doesn't become a firestorm.

[eligrba]

2 hours ago, gotbeer said:

It wasn't like he was disparaging or making fun of Ohtani.  On the scale of outraged to whatever.  I'm closer to the whatever, he apologized, move on.  

I was in this camp but after some thinking, I'm not sure.  Ohtani has done nothing wrong yet he continues to be a focus of these types of comments.  Ohtani is incredibly respectful of the game and his opponents.  He seems generous with his time in fulfilling what the Angels and MLB asks of him.  The comment in an isolation can be written off, but this is getting to the point where not calling this out begins to look like consent for people to continue.

Fuck you Jack Morris.  My guy is Ohtani who plays the game exactly the way every fan hopes. Ohtani should not need to defend himself in these matters because everyone else who understands who he is and what he is doing should be doing the defending.  The Angels declining to comment sends a bad message.  The Angels don't need to attack Morris, but they should certainly recognize that it happened.

[eligrba]

9 minutes ago, Blarg said:

That was unecessary.

After the Stephen A. Smith debacle, someone in Morris's position might be expected to be more aware about what they say on the airways.  One would think.....

[Justin]

2 hours ago, Lhalo said:

He needs to be doxed, cancelled and burned at the stake. I'll buy the pitchforks and torches. 

Cool, I'll come with you. 

2 hours ago, Lhalo said:

Who's coming with me to Detroit?!!!!!!!!!

Wait... no I won't. 

[angelsnationtalk]

Sam Blum should be talked too for being quick to react and deeming those comments as racist....

I get that something like that shouldn't be said on TV but we're lying to ourselves if we've NEVER joked in a different language/accent. Let alone how we are all attracted to a "type" of person. Does that me racist too, Sam?

If that's the case according to Sam, then we're all racist......

Not a fan of Sam saying that....

[Dtwncbad]

We can argue all day long if his comment was offensive to some or not.  I am certain many were not offended and couldn’t care less.  It probably was offensive to somebody.

I see no reason to believe that he intended to offend anyone or that there is anything “hateful” in what he said.

So we are reduced to punishing people because somebody felt justified in feeling offended, regardless of intent or actual malice.

Man, this just seems so unhealthy to me and very problematic when you try to figure out the end game.

If we already severely punish people with zero evidence of intent or malice, then how can anyone EVER feel free to openly communicate even with no intent or actual negative feelings or motives?

Where does this end?

This is a train wreck.

I don’t care about what he said.  I give him the benefit of the doubt that he was just trying to be funny.

I also don’t care if he apologizes to be careful in hindsight to make his intentions clear.  Fine whatever.

But now he is canned?

Again what is the end game here?  Everyone has to magically and accidentally pick only words where nobody can find a way to feel justified in being offended?

That is what is happening now.  People literally addicted to being offended feel so smart in explaining to everyone why what they said can justifiably be viewed as offensive.

I mean I am Irish.  If I were a bad ass hitter and they talked about what to do when I came up to hit, and Jack Morris said in a lame ass Irish accent that the pitcher needs to “Try to get LUCKY”  would anybody give a crap or be bothered?

I wouldn’t.  And if you are offended, great.  That’s up to you.  So spend a moment annoyed and then grow your ass out of it and move on.

Anyone that thinks their ears should only get exposed to words they would have chosen, with the expectation that someone saying words you don’t like be punished, is absolutely bat shit crazy.

Yes you draw a reasonable line somewhere.  To me, that would be “policing” against universally known slurs, and vulgar profanity, etc.

I can tell you line realistically cannot be where somebody could find a way to be offended.

If you are THAT sensitive, then maybe the next step is you go do some healing to be less sensitive before you re-enter the normal world the rest of us want to live in without being burdened with your sensitivity.

Its not that I am happy with what Morris said.  He is a dumb ass talking face like so many others.

What I do know is Ohtani is probably not a tender baby that needs me to jump off my couch to defend him in the possibility that he didn’t like Morris’s comments.

We would all be a little better off if we intentionally didn’t let this stuff bother us.

There was once a day when parents taught their kids that sticks and stones can break your bones but names (words) can never hurt you.

Now we teach everyone to look hard for a way that you get to be hurt by words.  It makes you full of dignity to find indignity.

We need to grow out of this.  It doesn’t end well for ANYONE.

Edited August 18, 2021 by Dtwncbad

[DCAngelsFan]

3 hours ago, PattyD22 said:

I also feel like me “liking” what you posted, because it’s exactly how I feel, makes me feel like people can construe this as me being racist also.

And I’m not.

 

That's the way of the world now, I'm afraid.

I do get subsequent comments about how Ohtani seems to have more questionable incidents than other players - I "get" that, and maybe examples need to be made?  

I dunno - I'd be a little more concerned about how the umpires -  objectively, some say - make more bad calls against him than almost any other player.   

 

 

[eligrba]

4 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Sam Blum should be talked too for being quick to react and deeming those comments as racist....

I get that something like that shouldn't be said on TV but we're lying to ourselves if we've NEVER joked in a different language/accent. Let alone how we are all attracted to a "type" of person. Does that me racist too, Sam?

If that's the case according to Sam, then we're all racist......

Not a fan of Sam saying that....

The difference is that Morris said it as a representative of Tiger Baseball over the airways to people who are listening expecting to enjoy a baseball game.  I don't disagree with you, but the context is different with what Morris said compared to what is being said in private conversations.  I can't imagine what was said over the airways during Jackie Robinson's first year.

[eligrba]

1 minute ago, DCAngelsFan said:

That's the way of the world now, I'm afraid.

I do get subsequent comments about how Ohtani seems to have more questionable incidents than other players - I "get" that, and maybe examples need to be made?  

I dunno - I'd be a little more concerned about how the umpires -  objectively, some say - make more bad calls against him than almost any other player.   

 

 

I heard that.....and yet he simply continues to just play baseball. 

[angelsnationtalk]

Just now, eligrba said:

The difference is that Morris said it as a representative of Tiger Baseball over the airways to people who are listening expecting to enjoy a baseball game.  I don't disagree with you, but the context is different with what Morris said compared to what is being said in private conversations.  I can't imagine what was said over the airways during Jackie Robinson's first year.

Good point. 
Like I said, there's no excuse for saying in when thousands can hear. But technically it doesn't give everyone else a free pass for saying it in private or with a bunch of friends. 

If they want to deem it as racist comments then I just hope then ones calling it racist have never spoken or joked like that ever. (which there is no way they haven't)

There can't be a "well they said it in public" punishment but it's totally fine to joke around in private. 

Sorry for a mini-rant haha

[Torridd]

15 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Sam Blum should be talked too for being quick to react and deeming those comments as racist....

I get that something like that shouldn't be said on TV but we're lying to ourselves if we've NEVER joked in a different language/accent. Let alone how we are all attracted to a "type" of person. Does that me racist too, Sam?

If that's the case according to Sam, then we're all racist......

Not a fan of Sam saying that....

We may all be, in a way. However, most of us don't have jobs in which we talk to the broad public. I'm not saying he should be fired, but he should have known better.

[Dtwncbad]

Every language has words for, “Hey come to think of it, sorry about that.  I just want to be clear that I did not intend for my words to be offensive.  I was being clumsy in my effort to be funny.  Again, sorry.”

And every language also has words for, “Thanks for clarifying, and don’t worry about.  I appreciate the apology and we are good.”

Do we have space anymore in our society for that mature exchange anymore?

Or do people have to lose their jobs when they drift into being clumsy in their effort to be funny?

 

[jsnpritchett]

3 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Or do people have to lose their jobs when they drift into being clumsy in their effort to be funny?

 

He didn't lose his job.  He was suspended and will go through training.  I'm sure he'll be back after that. 

[Torridd]

5 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Every language has words for, “Hey come to think of it, sorry about that.  I just want to be clear that I did not intend for my words to be offensive.  I was being clumsy in my effort to be funny.  Again, sorry.”

And every language also has words for, “Thanks for clarifying, and don’t worry about.  I appreciate the apology and we are good.”

Do we have space anymore in our society for that mature exchange anymore?

Or do people have to lose their jobs when they drift into being clumsy in their effort to be funny?

 

I understand what you're saying, but this is the Judgmental Era. Some mistakes just aren't forgiven. 

[angelsnationtalk]

Just now, Torridd said:

We may all be, in a way. However, most of us don't have jobs in which we talk to the broad public. I'm not saying he should be fired, but he should have known better.

Absolutely he should have known better, but at the same time, we all slip something in the spur of the moment. 
We're human beings, not pre-programmed robots that say scripted words.
Just because we slip words (no matter the stage it's said on), doesn't make someone immediately racist and that's where Sam's comments push it...

[HanfordGuy]

13 hours ago, failos said:

Bullshit apology too

Moris’s apology…

[eligrba]

9 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Every language has words for, “Hey come to think of it, sorry about that.  I just want to be clear that I did not intend for my words to be offensive.  I was being clumsy in my effort to be funny.  Again, sorry.”

And every language also has words for, “Thanks for clarifying, and don’t worry about.  I appreciate the apology and we are good.”

Do we have space anymore in our society for that mature exchange anymore?

Or do people have to lose their jobs when they drift into being clumsy in their effort to be funny?

 

How much time did it take and how many people were needed for Morris to say those words.

The space you are referring to is always available for the self aware.
 

Again, what did Ohtani do to make Morris believe his comments would be considered funny?

[Dtwncbad]

2 minutes ago, eligrba said:

How much time did it take and how many people were needed for Morris to say those words.

The space you are referring to is always available for the self aware.
 

Again, what did Ohtani do to make Morris believe his comments would be considered funny?

I can’t answer your question and I am not interested in the answers, mostly because I am not interested in finding ways to be offended.

I don’t know how long it took for him to apologize.

Once Morris apologized, it should be over.  That is, unless you honestly believe in your heart that he thinks less of Asians and gets off making fun of them.

I would need a mountain of additional evidence to think that, and I am not going looking for it.

Apology accepted.  Move on.