Tuesday, April 10, 2012

I Like Ozzie Guillen

Does anyone besides me want to tell the Cuban-Americans of Miami's Little Havana to go screw themselves?  I got over Ozzie Guillen's homophobic comments a few years ago; they can get over his Castro remarks.

Ozzie Guillen's full comment on the subject of Castro in an interview with Time Magazine was apparently this (translated I guess, because Guillen said he was speaking Spanish for the interview):

“I love Fidel Castro… I respect Fidel Castro, you know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that motherf****r is still here.”

 So now the Marlins have suspended him from his managerial position for five days, and a segment of the Cuban community are demanding he be axed, despite his inevitable apology. (Why do people demand apologies, since they are hardly ever accepted. As soon as they're made, we start questioning their sincerity.)
 
Generally, I think we're too touchy and some person or some group is always demanding an apology from somebody or other.  One of my recent favorites was Newt Gingrich's demand for an apology from Robert DeNiro for his question if people thought the nation was ready for a white first lady. Deep down he probably knows we're not ready for Calista, at any rate.


Having said that, I think the Cuban-Americans, if they wish, can demonstrate their displeasure by boycotting Marlins' games. Just as people can register protests with Rush Limbaugh's sponsors whenever he says something offensive, or opens his mouth, which might be about the same thing. I'm just disappointed the Marlins didn't show a little more spine and tell people to "get over it; it is just Ozzie being Ozzie."

In an era where sports figures talk in a special form of non-speak, I personally like the way Guillen works without a filter between his brain and his mouth.  He is one of the few sports people it is still worth listening to, because he might just say something.



4 comments:

Bob Peterson said...

Heartily agree with your thoughts on Ozzie. When I first read it, I just didn't get the whole issue. Now, I see it as the hystrionic blathering of an insular group of fanatics. When he said "I love Castro," they heard "I love the Devil."

I have been really tired of the control that the Miami Cubans have had on the government...have you ever heard their connection with the Minnesota/North Dakota farmers that grow sugar beets?

Anyway, you are right that most of the sports figures are just one cliche after another. Ozzie always has his foot in his mouth and that passion is part of his appeal...despite my distaste for the White Sox, particularly the Hawk.

Still, probably not a good subject to dwell upon in Miami.

Also, good observation about the incessant apology circus. Since when did our news center on so many celebrities?

Bob Peterson said...

Maybe this is less PC--have you noticed the increase in the breathless news about one or another celebrity's death? Pretty soon, since we add people like Paris Hilton to the list of celebs without an accomplishment to her name, there will be no time to talk about Syria because we have to deal with another celeb.

Should I sign this "Old Fuddy Duddy?"

Gerald Martin said...

I wonder what Ozzie thinks about Paris Hilton.

Bob Peterson said...

Knowing him, he would say something alot more interesting than she has ever uttered, and a whale of a lot better than I can muster.

He's always good for a quote.