04/24/24
October 22, 2003
Mmmm ... my foot tastes excellent with chicken and watermelon.: Junior Seau made an offhanded comment about how to stop San Diego Chargers running back (and Seau buddy) LaDainian Tomlinson. How do you react to what looks like a racist statement when you think the guy isn't a racist?
It's quite apparent how this comment should be taken, as it was meant: a complimentary jab, but how the NFL/media react could be an entirely different story.
posted by garfield at 04:52 PM on October 22, 2003
Speaking as a white male (who also happens to love fried chicken and watermelon..who don't?), I have no problem with his comments, given that they are friends, he was wearing a Tomlinson jersey and they ate said meal together all the time. Very different than Fuzzy Zoeller comment after '97 Masters. Fuzzy was not a friend of Tiger, and his "or collard greens, or whatever the hell they serve" bit showed his racist intent.
posted by msacheson at 05:12 PM on October 22, 2003
You just have to be careful when talking to the media. Among our group, we're absolutely merciless when talking to our token Jewish firiend. I'm constantly made fun of for being short. It's cool among friends, and actually a ton of fun. But I'd never say the things I say among friends if the media was present. Mostly because the Jews run the media. I kid because I love.
posted by Samsonov14 at 10:21 PM on October 22, 2003
This story says more about the hypersensitive climate in the sports media than it does Seau. He probably shouldn't relay watermelon and chicken jokes to his good friend through the notoriously droll media, but the reporters who took the quote could have ignored the in-joke between two buddies. I'm sure they hear lots of stuff in the locker room that isn't offered for public consumption.
posted by rcade at 05:44 AM on October 23, 2003
Why is everyone so hard on watermelon?
posted by StarFucker at 09:10 AM on October 23, 2003
i don't find watermelon attractive at all. yummy, yes. sexy, no.
posted by garfield at 09:46 AM on October 23, 2003
Garf - nah, just stick one in the oven at about 200 degrees for 15 minutes, cut a little hole in the side... On second thought - I was never here.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:20 AM on October 23, 2003
And make that a big hole. Yeah. Cut a BIG hole.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:21 AM on October 23, 2003
This story says more about the hypersensitive climate in the sports media than it does Seau. He probably shouldn't relay watermelon and chicken jokes to his good friend through the notoriously droll media, but the reporters who took the quote could have ignored the in-joke between two buddies. Then, if they ignore the quote, the sporting media gets accused of (a) being liberal; and (b) giving Seau a free ride not afforded to whites in a similar situation. So you pretty much have to report it, and let it lie.
posted by jackhererra at 10:55 AM on October 23, 2003
The watermelon and chicken quote is news only if Seau means it in a derogatory racist manner. If a reporter understands that it's an in-joke between good friends, how is it news any more than if he said, "Tell LaDanian I'm going to kick his ass at Madden 2004"?
posted by rcade at 12:29 PM on October 23, 2003
Madden 2004 - is that some kind of football summit? When are they going to fight? Will Warren Sapp be there? Hang on - I'm got my editor on the other line - and he likes where this story is going.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:24 PM on October 23, 2003
You roll your eyes. *rolls eyes* See! I think Junior qualified his remarks quite well. Move along. Nothing to see here.