Settling in tonight to watch what’s left of the Rays season. If this was NY or Boston, we would be at Defcon 5 with our September swoon, but since this is Tampa Bay, most just shrug and say, “Whatever, it’s football season.” So how did a boy from western Canada become such a huge baseball fan anyway?

Thanks for the lesson on race relations in Canada. I always envisioned as Canadians as more enlightened than us. I still think you probably are, at least where it comes to healthcare, but I guess no place has a monopoly on xenophobia.

That’s some story. Typical bullshit, eh? They see you and judge you without knowing anything about you. I bet they don’t even understand why they’re behaviour is racist, even. Too stupid, narrow minded, and xenophobic.

Canada is not too bad, I guess. No history like the US has, for which I’m grateful. As for me, when my family moved to Alberta it was the whitest place I’ve ever seen and I’m not talking about the snow (of which there was a considerable amount). My family was like the 5 specs of pepper in the salt shaker and boy, didn’t we know it. It was just hell here in the 70′s, 80′s, and into the 90′s. But things improved due to a liberal immigration policy, decreasing tolerance for casual discrimination, and the prevalence of black athletes in pro-sports and the Olympics. These days I can pretty much do as I please and no one bothers me BUT this means when some of the crap from back in the day happens I am totally unprepared for it. I’m just stunned. At a loss for words. When I see Phillip’s reaction and the replay of Hughes calling him “boy”, I can totally understand why I am seeing it unfold as it did. Even the Pirates backing Hughes is about what I’d expect. In my experience that’s how it unfolds. I don’t misread Phillips letting it go: he’s doing his friend McCutchen a favour. One day Hughes is going to do this again: he’s too hot headed and the words come to easily for him not to do it again. I wonder if everyone will be so quick to defend him then?

Clearly, this idiot Cook is a complete and utter douchenozzle (another word I’ve really grown to like ). Stances like his are reasons to severely dislike someone (back to the core of the man…how does it always come to that? )

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120911&content_id=38246732

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120911/SPT04/309110022/Phillips-clears-air-Pirates-Hughes

I don’t want to live on this planet anymore.

Between Ron Cook and Dejan Kovacevic, the only Pittsburgh reporter worth reading appears to be Ed Bouchette.

Does Canada have a big problem with racism? Our American stereotype of Canadians (and my experience from working with several) is one of politeness and a really good sense of humor, unless they’re playing hockey. Although I did work with one bitchy nurse from Vancouver.

As for his editor, most likely, he/she let it go because it’s controversial, and would attract more attention. More attention than it deserves.

But I get your point.

It’s likely never ok to strike someone who simply says something to you. I’d say public shaming is probably the best reaction actually. It makes the person feel like a fool and takes him to task. Physically hurting him (or trying to) is disproportional and illegal…