Thread: Shoulda Oughta Knew Better...Raffi Torres.

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

Ok, so your argument is that he is an idiot who is exonerrated because he is too dumb to know better. Ok, thanks for weighing in. So from here on out all athletes are not responsible for bad decisions because they are dumb. Hear that Dany Heatley, you are off the hook son.

Huh? Go back and re-read my post. Reread it a few times if you have to. There is no inference that his actions are ok because he's not that bright. I am merely pointing out that you should not be that surprised when athletes do stupid things.

For the record, I have no problem with his costume.

SK and Jeffrock...you talk about being tired of lowering the bar and athletes not being too bright...yet I am the only one that seems to be holding Torres accountable for a poor decision. And that's what it is. As an athlete you represent a sport/team/city and you have a responsibility to 'ask yourself' is this a good idea? Regardless of your feelings about whether this SHOULD be tolerated you should be asking instead 'what was he thinking'. In the grand scheme of things it's clear that I am wasting my time trying to make that point and I am actually sorry I started this thread.

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

SK and Jeffrock...you talk about being tired of lowering the bar and athletes not being too bright...yet I am the only one that seems to be holding Torres accountable for a poor decision. And that's what it is. As an athlete you represent a sport/team/city and you have a responsibility to 'ask yourself' is this a good idea? Regardless of your feelings about whether this SHOULD be tolerated you should be asking instead 'what was he thinking'. In the grand scheme of things it's clear that I am wasting my time trying to make that point and I am actually sorry I started this thread.

My only objection is that the only way something gets tolerated is by someone doing it. Suggesting that he shouldn't do it because someone out there won't like it is the same as saying gays shouldn't get married because someone out there is against it. When you want to change something, you can't keep it in hiding. You bring it out in the open and point out how ridiculous it is for someone to have an issue with it. Yes yes. I know it's a slippery slope and a way different issue, but the point is the same.

The only reason you feel the "what was he thinking" thing is because you know there are people out there who live to be offended. . .not because it's offensive. That's what really needs to change. It's not that I'm missing any point you're trying to make, I just feel that there isn't any reason Torres should even have to think about if that costume is a good or a bad idea. Dressing up like Al Jolson is different than dressing up as a celebrity.

For the record, I'm not sorry you made the thread.

I think there are those in the media that are making this out to be more than it is. I feel that there is a line that should not be crossed but I don't' think Raffi crossed it. If someone dressed up in a banana outfit and put on a Simmonds jersey would of been in poor taste after the fact that someone threw a banana on the ice in Toronto. If that incedent had not taken place my first thought would have been that Fruit of the Loom were hockey fans and like Simmonds. That's just the way I think.

Originally Posted by SmytheKing

My only objection is that the only way something gets tolerated is by someone doing it. Suggesting that he shouldn't do it because someone out there won't like it is the same as saying gays shouldn't get married because someone out there is against it. When you want to change something, you can't keep it in hiding. You bring it out in the open and point out how ridiculous it is for someone to have an issue with it. Yes yes. I know it's a slippery slope and a way different issue, but the point is the same.

The only reason you feel the "what was he thinking" thing is because you know there are people out there who live to be offended. . .not because it's offensive. That's what really needs to change. It's not that I'm missing any point you're trying to make, I just feel that there isn't any reason Torres should even have to think about if that costume is a good or a bad idea. Dressing up like Al Jolson is different than dressing up as a celebrity.

For the record, I'm not sorry you made the thread.

I appreciate what you posted here and it's a good argument, but now you are facetiously setting up Torres as some sort of civil rights movement leader...the right to be dopey. If we are going to all agree that he never thought about the consequences lets not go and even jokingly suggest he is trying to break down bad taste barriers. And I don't really philisophically have any problem with his costume, simply because I don't see any malice. Someone like Super-Calo, who dressed as Rick James...no problem. But Super-Calo, as far as I know, is not as scrutinized as a public figure. That's all I am trying to say. If you are in the public eye you should just be a little more aware...you don't HAVE TO, but it is just common sense. Save yourself the trouble...and besides, they were pretty crappy as halloween costumes anyway.

Torres is Latino. He gets to play the Brown card anytime he wants. It's cool.

Originally Posted by Unruely35

Torres is Latino. He gets to play the Brown card anytime he wants. It's cool.

Unfortunately there just as many bigots in Mexico and Latin America as there are here.

Originally Posted by Kubrick

Bill Plaschke also took the pulpit.

Bill Plaschke: Raffi Torres in blackface is a disgrace to the NHL - latimes.com

And Plaschke matters how?

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

I don't even really care that much about this, I just think people should be booing him for abject stupidity. It was unecessary and a bad decision.

Booing might hurt his feelings, are you f---ing kidding me?