MLB rears its hypocritical PC head during World Series

A lot was made this week of Houston Texans owner Bob McNair comparing kneeling NFL players and team ownership after blurting out the common and often used expression, “Inmates running the prison.” (McNair later distanced himself by explaining that he meant players and the NFL Commissioner’s Office)

Many called it racist, reinforcing a stereotype and unfair to lump millionaire NFL players in with domestic abusers, violent felons, drug users, and even murderers walking the penitentiary yard — all criminal character flaws which we know that saintly and law-abiding NFL players have over the years proven to be just plain untrue. 

And Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Ray Lewis, Josh Gordon, Adam Jones, Joe Mixon, Dalvin Cook… have a bridge to sell ya.

Anyway, now along comes the World Series and Major League Baseball’s chance to throw shade over the NFL fallout from the kneeling controversy … and they are blowing it. 

Don’t let the exciting fall classic between the Dodgers and Astros fool you. While commissioner Rob Manfred is publicly banging his drum about that tired, age-old PC diversion — doing away with the Indians’ Chief Wahoo mascot — as a smoke signal smokescreen, MLB is sweeping some their own dirty issues under the Astroturf (they still have that at Minute Maid Park right?)

On Saturday, Manfred announced a five-game suspension without pay for Astros slugger Yuli Gurriel after cameras caught the first baseman making a “slant-eyed” gesture and saying the Spanish word “chinito,” a slang term for “little Chinese guy,” in reference to the Japanese-born Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish after hitting a home run.

Yuli Gurriel under fire after gesture made in dugout after homering off Yu Darvish: https://t.co/CoY4gEYRDG pic.twitter.com/TmF1HJNUTo

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) October 28, 2017

Manfred’s punishment was quick and decisive.

Too bad it will be served next year at the start of the 2018 season.

Manfred said it was important not to penalize the Astros’ other players for Gurriel’s inappropriate gesture and there was always that roadblock known as appeal but, just like his justification, the punishment was weak and self-serving.

“I felt it was unfair to punish the other 24 players on the Astros roster,” he said. “I wanted the burden of this discipline to fall primarily on the wrongdoer.”

So, instead of sending a real message to players right now, the whole incident will probably be a forgotten Astro burger by next season.

Gurriel went on to apologize to Darvish, the Astros, the Dodgers, MLB and fans and— more sincerely and likely — secretly thanking the commish. 

Darvish took the higher road and said on social media: 

“No one is perfect. That includes both you and I. What he had done today isn’t right, but I believe we should put our effort into learning rather than to accuse him. If we can take something from this, that is a giant step for mankind. Since we are living in such a wonderful world, let’s stay positive and move forward instead of focusing on anger. I’m counting on everyone’s big love.”

Which brings me back to the kneeling.

Bruce Maxwell was the only player in MLB this year to take a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice — which is within his rights. But it seems the Oakland As catcher took it to another level when he used his political stance to claim an Alabama waiter last week denied him service at a restaurant for taking that knee during the anthem. 

Maxwell said the waiter recognized him for being the only MLB player who knelt and then claims that the waiter then said he voted for Donald Trump, supported the President's views and would not serve the athlete before asking the manager to have another server handle the group.

A story the waiter, Matt Henry, says was completely untrue.

“He is outright lying. This is really upsetting as he was given full service, I didn’t even know who Bruce Maxwell was," Henry said.

And now fresh off that public display, Maxwell has been arrested after a female food delivery person alleged he pointed a gun at her.

Scottsdale police said officers went to Maxwell’s home Saturday night after getting a call about a person with a gun. Maxwell was booked on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct. Now he'll be taking a plea.

I don’t know if the inmates run a prison in the NFL but they just might run the burgeoning asylum in MLB.

Let's see how warden, I mean, commissioner Manfred handles this.

Cam Newton gets iced while Jourdan Rodrigue skates free from criticism

The theory that two wrongs don't make a right is especially true if you are Cam Newton but apparently not if you are the other wrong.

Newton, no stranger to criticism after he takes the podium, is being drawn and quartered and sort of put back together after his mean spirited response to Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue at a presser Wednesday afternoon. 

Unless you live in a wi-fi-less cave, you are aware that the Carolina Panthers quarterback's snarky — sinister? — grinning answer to a female NFL beat reporter's question about players' routes was, "It's funny to hear a female talk about routes," with a distinct emphasis on the word "routes."

It definitely was not a good answer and called sexist in most circles.

Cam Newton: “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes.”

Uh, that’s a really, really bad way to answer a legitimate question. (video via https://t.co/NOdIiKyJCb) pic.twitter.com/MaS4KVjuSV

— Max Marcilla (@MMarcilla98) October 4, 2017

On the other hand, Rodrigue’s offenses are some nasty tweets dug up by Black Sports Online where the 25 year-old extolled the humor of her father’s “super racist” jokes and used the N-word a few years ago. But not before she called out Newton after the presser and demanded respect face-to-face. 

And while Newton’s seemingly humble and heartfelt apology 24 hours later made him a news and talk show hot topic for another day, Rodrigue’s feeble “I’m sorry” tweet or remarks were barely footnotes in these heated conversations. It was all about Cam and the fallout on him that was quick and costly.

pic.twitter.com/Rwxzcu883T

— Cameron Newton (@CameronNewton) October 6, 2017

The Dannon Company dropped the NFL star faster than you can say Oikos and before Newton had any chance to explain or apologize. Another sponsor Gatorade also issued a statement Thursday, saying, "Cam's comments were objectionable and disrespectful to all women and they do not reflect the values of our brand.” 

Also piling on Newton were his Panthers front office, the NFL,  ESPN and Sports Illustrated all who blistered Newton to the point he had no choice but to call an audible and make the apology video.

Meanwhile Rodrigue, who has been an NFL reporter since 2016, was set upon a pedestal as some sort of feminist darling and not the racist pariah she just might be as her dirty crumbs got swept under the rug like there was an racist expiration date on the vile posts.

So it begs the question: If Newton's lousy attempt at humor is perceived as sexism, why aren't Rodrigue's equally distasteful remarks and racial slurs seen just as offensive? I'm guessing the media, the NFL and most political groups are all just afraid of the yogurt eaters.

Newton has a history of verbal gaffes and surly behavior at the podium starting with his sometimes colorful and outlandish wardrobe. Whether it’s a twisted sense of humor or plain out disdain for the press, Newton must learn to censure himself when he is the center of attention.

The media has shown a history of crucifying then pink-slipping reporters and sports personalities for their racist remarks — whether the offending words are intentional or just perceived as such and this seems no different.

We all know the stories behind the age-old firings of Jimmy the Greek and Al Campanis but just recently, Terry Frei, a sports reporter for the Denver Post, sent a questionable tweet shortly after Japanese race car driver Takuma Sato hailed victory in the Indy 500 over Memorial day and was immediately canned.

Just last year Emily Austen, a 27 year-old Fox Sports reporter, was fired after making insensitive remarks about Mexican, Jewish and Chinese people.

And none of them even used the N-word!

Mike Persinger, Executive Editor of the Charlotte Observer, hinted to BSO that any discipline regarding Rodrigue's tweets would be handled internally — probably meaning we'll never know if there is any at all. She was reportedly at the Panthers training facility on Thursday.

On Thursday, the Pro Football Writers of America condemned Newton's comments, saying in a statement that the NFL player, "crossed the line."

I'm beginning to wonder who draws that line... the media or the sponsors? And maybe there is a second one... a line which represents a double standard.