The Every Stinking Pitch Network sinks to a new low. I will bet you a case of Salami Sezza Original Quality Corks that if he writes the same stuff about blacks, he is in the jug tomorrow: http://espn.go.com/page2/s/caple/030930.html
Jim Caple used to write for the Minneapolis paper, I've always considered him one of ESPN's best writers.
And you don't see how this could be offensive? How about making fun of the Leningrad blockade? There were at least 30 million Russian men who perished in WWII, and this arsehole finds it a bit amusing. Let me see how you react when I piss on September 11 victims in my next Sport-Express piece. This is what makes ugly Americans ugly Americans and this is quite peculiar that this puddle of snot happens to be a baseball geek.
Well, it is a typical stereotype piece, the kinds of which are a dime a dozen these days. Yes, there are parts of it that are in poor taste, especially the Leningrad blockade bit. But I don't quite think that the writer is dancing on the graves at Piskarevskoye... (Frankly, I'm impressed these days when anyone here even knows what the Leningrad Blockade was...) I'm not ready to label it a racist piece, however. I've met Jim Caple on a few occasions here in the Cities and he is not a racist. More accurate is a piece of tongue in cheek stereotype reinforcement with a few passages gone awry, beyond the borders of good taste.
I disagree. Replace Russians with blacks, shot-put with basketball, nesting dolls with rap music and the blockade with slavery, and you have yourself one fired racist ignorant baseball geek.
You're just pissed because the game is slowly but surely making inroads into the culture. Soon we'll be able to buy salted in the shell peanuts, brats & onions, & Cracker Jacks in every decent stadium in Moscow. Oh, the joy of it all....
That's nitpicking. Hating Russians is by no means less despisable than hating blacks, whichever term to this particular form of bigotry you want to apply.
If that's what you want to call broadcasting one or two games on a Moscow-only cable channel at 3:30 am for the benefit of the American Embassy workers, suit yourself. Is there anything baseball doesn't do slowly? I am sure that this brave attempt at killing off the Russians through constipation and ulcer shall not be successful, but by all means continue the practice here. Obesity, I hear, can be terminal.
Look at the bright side....at least you'll be the first one on your block to be able to sing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" in multiple languages.
I agree that it's real steretypical [THE COMMERCIAL OPENS ON DANK, DARK ROOM WHERE A LONE LAMP THROWS LIGHT ON A MAN WHO IS TIED TO A CHAIR. HIS BLOODIED HEAD HANGS DOWN AND HE CLEARLY HAS BEEN TORTURED BY THE TWO ENORMOUS RUSSIAN MAFIA THUGS WHO STAND ON EITHER SIDE OF HIM. THEY ARE JOINED BY A FAT MAN IN A DARK SUIT AND MUCH BLING. THE NEW MAN TAKES A SEAT AND ADDRESSES THE MAN TIED TO THE CHAIR.] HEAD MAFIOSO: Well, Fyodr, I have some good news. FYODR: You're not going to kill me for opening a Hooter's on Red Square without I pay you protection money? HEAD MAFIOSO: No, I just saved $180 on my car insurance by switching to Geiko. And that's $180, not worthless rubles. [FYODR GROANS] but this is funny.
Yes, I see. Well, you go and congratulate your buddy the talented writer, who surely showed them commies in his own private little cold war. But please do not be surprised and bewilderred at all the America-hatred in the world today. Maybe the next time a Yankee soldier gets knocked off in Iraq, someone with as much taste as Mr. Cable will write a heartily humorous piece on proliferation of football in America and the things one can do with thick American skulls. We shall both have a healthy little laugh then. Bloody despicable.
Oh, blah blah blah. Get over yourself, Shurik. Your "pick 'n choose" righteous indignation loses effect over time.
Everybody chooses what to be offended at. If this bothers you, you are always welcome to try to explain the actual Latin roots of the N-word to a black person near you.
There is an important difference. I am, at least partially, a Jew. And I knew what I was talking about. Your golfing buddy is not and does not. This is common sence.
At which point you come to defending an age-old argument of bigots everywhere that it's okay to call blacks what they so often call themselves. There is such a thing as a mean-spirited joke, you know. But I have already dedicated your brainless bosom friend way too much of my time. Feel free to have the last word.
Sez you. To sum up: You-terribly offended. Hates baseball. Me-not a racist article. And the Geico bit was funny. OK. Go Twins.
Some humorous tongue-and-cheek talented media people do get their dues in this country: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/news/0930B61UNS0_lons30_news.shtml The lesson is, you have to pick the right ethnic group to berate.
Oh, and of course: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1627991 More from your conservative friends, I see.
Break it up, gentlemen. I did not read the article(s) in question, nor do I have any desire to. I have the utmost respect for both of you, and just from your comments, I have no desire to take sides on this. Shurik, I'm sure that what he wrote can be perceived as racism/xenophobia, especially to another journalist to whom the racism/xenophobia may be directed. However, as Zenit posted, some things columnists say have to be taken as tongue-in-cheek, and having not read the column, I'm guessing that this is one of them. Coincidentally, I'm writing a short story for my Creative Writing class about the Seige of Leningrad, so I happen to know some of the facts about that scenario, and I wouldn't exactly liken it to 9/11. I can see how it can be compared, however, so I consider your point valid. Overall, however, I would really appreciate if we (meaning you and Zenit and every participant in this thread thus far) just dropped the matter. Perhaps it was over the line. Think of it the way some posters here think of soccer-trashing articles. Roll your eyes, acknowledge their stupidity, but move on. Zenit, for the amount of respect I have for you, I can think of no other way to liken this thread but to the thread in the New England Revolution forum, trolling whilst complaining of trolling in another forum. While what Shurik posted can hardly be considered trolling, feeding the flames by likening him to a completely ignorant poster isn't the most diplomatic way of resolving the dispute. Like I said to your esteemed colleague, I would advise the matter be dropped. Perhaps you guys could compromise to close the thread to prevent any further fighting, especially between the leaders of what I have thought was the most peaceful board on BigSoccer. Although I consider your points as equally valid as Shurik's, considering I intentionally neglected to read the article in question, the matter needs to die. Mike Segroves: Do you just seek out threads to correct people in, or are you just incredibly lucky when you click on the home page and find threads where you can feed the flames? (comment tongue-in-cheek) Shurik is not Zealot. I've said my peace. Whether that means anything here will have to wait to be seen.