Regardless: he insulted the men as gay. It doesn’t matter if he thought they were. If I insult you by saying “You’re probably a Jew” or “You look half-black to me” is that not anti-Semitic/racist? Seriously?

It’s seriously alarming that people want to act like insulting people for being gay is exactly the same as just generic jerkery. It just isn’t.

“I was just pointing that out because I feel there are better and more direct ways to describe a person who acted as McDowell did. Such as a totally ignorant jackass.”

How is that “more direct”? There are many, many ways to be a totally ignorant jackass—Luke Scott is one, Frank McCourt another. McDowell was a particular kind of jackass, the kind that hates gay people. And if you look up “homophobia” in the dictionary I believe you’ll find it’s being used accurately here.

That said 1) Wow Roger McDowell. Gay slurs. Really? You’re an idiot. 2) KIDS DON’T BELONG AT THE BALLPARK ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS SH!T? That might be one of the dumbest things I have ever heard uttered by a human being in my life. I know the slurs are the thing here, but jesus hippity-hoppin’ Christ on a pogo stick KIDS DON’T BELONG AT THE BALLPARK!?!? The mind reels…

Couple of thoughts
1) AS people pointed out in the other thread, I can;t see a way that McDowell began a conversation with these people. I will reserve total judgement (such as it is) until independent witnesses tell me what the heckle was

2) parsing the word homophobia is a dumb semantic argument and a waste of time

3) As dumb, hateful, and mean as McDowell’s words were I hope he doesn’t lose his job. Maybe some public apology and sensitivity training,

4) Didn’t this incident happen three days before the press conference? Why so quick? did McDowell or the braves have a chance to deal with this privately before the dog and pony show? How did this get organized so quickly?

1) Contrary to repeated assertion, “phobia” does not only mean “fear.” Someone who is “xenophobic” is afraid of *or averse to* alien or foreign things.
2) Even if it did necessarily mean fear, so what? Is there hatred that is not truly based in fear? If homophobes truly felt superior to gay people, they’d leave them alone. Do you go attempt to insult and intimidate people who you don’t feel threatened by?
3) Most importantly, as someone else pointed out, we need a word that means “hates homosexuals,” and none others are forthcoming. What is the point in quibbling about it?

The exits are located to the north and south and along the east and west coasts. Please avail yourself of them.

FYI This guy was teammates with Lenny Dykstra and came to the Phills with Lenny when the Mets were ripped off in the Samuel trade. The two of them probably got along perfectly…..

While the homophobic remarks are troubling, I’m a little more concerned with the language, and more so the sentiment, of the remark about kids not belonging at a ballpark. As someone who played and coached in both the Minors and the Majors, how can you think kids don’t belong at a ballpark? My dad took me to the ballpark when I was a kid, and I love this game. I plan to take my little sons to games when they get a little older. That’s the way it’s been for many generations, and baseball needs it to go on for many more. Unproven pitching coaches are easily replaced, life-long fans not so much.