"You aint all the way black"

As someone who loves to speak uncomfortable truths myself, I have to say that I have no problem with Gary Sheffield when he speaks his mind. Sheffield is to baseball, what Francis Holland has become to the blogosphere. I love the guys honesty, his blunt talk, and the way he can straight stroke a baseball. Believe me, as a long time Detroit Tigers fan (don't ask how) this is important to me.

So Gary Sheffield has been "stirring the pot" again. This time by calling out the Yankees and their Manager, Joe Torre, for their double standard when it comes to their treatment of black players. Sheffield, because of his abilities as a player, and because of his veteran status has been acting as an unofficial spokesperson for the African American players in Major League Baseball . His comments about the passive Latin players and baseball's more willingness to deal with them, was also controversial and drew criticism from a majority white sports public tired of hearing about race. They wish the talk of race in their beloved sports world would just go away like one of Sheffield's home runs deep into Tiger stadium.

But why should it? Why shouldn't Sheffield be able to speak his mind? Every great athlete who makes a Brinks Truck load of money can't be like Mike, or Magic, or, for that matter, Tiger. No, some people in America,regardless of how much money they make actually call bullshit when they see it. For the record, I despise Michael Jordon as a person. I think he is a sellout, and is someone who turned his back on his people so that little white boys in Iowa can have his posters on their walls, and little black boys in inner city America can kill and rob each other for his $150 branded sneakers. Now he spends his retirement running from golf course to golf course gambling away his money, and playing O.J. (think about it) from one resort to another. He and his side kick, the round mound of buffoonery, also known as Sir Charles, are beloved by white folks because they never say things to really make them (white folks) uncomfortable. Charles tries from time to time, but he is viewed more as a big joke, and is never taken seriously by anyone who listen to him. Sheffield, on the other hand, is viewed as an "angry black man" ---at least that's how one local sports talk show described him today--- and thus he makes white folks uncomfortable. The response to his statements are often swift and vitriolic. "The guy makes millions and he is still angry, Sheffield should just shut up and play, he makes good money what is he bitching about, he makes more money that I will ever see in my life, and I am white." (God forbid a black man does that) Nothing puzzles white folks more than a black man who makes a lot of money but still bitches about inequities in society. To them, money is the great equalizer and should cure all woes real and perceived. Sheffield was confronted with another popular comeback when the uncomfortable issue of race is raised. Well if the Yankees are so bad why is it that a black player -Derek Jeter- gets the mega star treatment from them. (If America is so bad for black people how come Oprah is so rich?) Sheffield's response was that Jeter wasn't "all the way black", that he is both "black and white" true statements because Jeter is the child of a mixed marriage. Yet I am sure he will be pillaged for that one as well.

Now let me say for the record that I don't know anything about what goes on behind the scenes with the Yankees or Joe Torre. Sheffield said that other black players had an issue with Torre because "they weren't treated like everyone else". They were called out and "disrespected" while the white players weren't. This may or may not have been true. But I will say this; if it is true I wouldn't be surprised. What, cause they are the Yankees they are above racism? Bullshit! When it comes to racism everybody is a fucking suspect.

So keep speaking your mind Mr. Sheffield, no matter how uncomfortable it makes people. The other field Negroes out here have your back, and we are glad you make other people uncomfortable. Hell they should be, America is an uncomfortable place, and baseball is as American as apple pie.

Hey Obama,

I think you just f****d up.

Didn't you know that there are certain things you just don't say in modern day American discourse? Now watch how all those white folks who were treating you like the latest coming of John, Paul, and Ringo, turn on your black ass. "My God honey he is sounding just like Gary Sheffield. You know, the more I see him, the blacker he is starting to look."

Your handlers should have told you to chill a little and not let the black come out of you at Hampton University the other day. I know you were in a room full of 8,000 of your closest friends, but if you are going to be a real American politician you are going to have to learn to hold back on your true feelings and watch what you say. You just can't go around talking about the plight of black people and racial stuff in America. You even got into the "K" word again for crying out loud. "Don't you know that we are way past that stage in this country? We have come very far in this country and we are damn near color blind now. I thought you were the great uniter? What ever happened to the 'audacity of hope'"?

You just can't make statements like: "These quiet riots that take place everyday are born from the same place as the fires and the destruction and the police decked out in riot gear and the deaths. They happen when a sense of discomfort settles in and hope dissipates" Half and half man you have done lost your mind using words like that in a speech. You must really want to test that new secret service protection you got huh?

Now for the record, I personally like what you did, although I don't quite agree with you. Because you spoke as if you were talking about some sort of hypothetical situation, like you were giving a theoretical problem to solve for some college class on urban problems. As if the stuff you talk about might happen in the future. Obama, I have a news flash for you; that shit is happening now. A sense of discomfort has settled in, and hope has dissipated. That all happened way before Katrina, the storm just exposed all the Third World living that was already taking place here in the land of the brave and the home of the not so free."Despair takes hold and young people all across this country look all the way the world is and believe that things aren't going to get any better." Obama I think you mean despair has taken hold. But nice try, at least you had the guts to talk about Katrina.

So anyway, I am also wondering where you got this "quiet riot" shit from. Were you a rock fan back in the day? I seem to remember that there was a group by that name. But I digress.

I was wondering, how the hell can a riot be quiet? I mean the whole purpose of a riot is to let out your frustrations and let those who have been f*****g over you take notice of your grievances. So if it's quiet, aren't you like defeating the purpose. I mean if you are going to be quiet, you might as well have a prayer vigil or some shit. That would make sense. Then you can at least ask for something, and be quiet at the same time. Hell if you are rioting, I think you are pretty much past the quiet stage don't you? We didn't riot after Katrina, although you could have excused us if we did. Watching poor helpless babies and the elderly suffering to death was far worse than watching Rodney King getting his black ass kicked after thinking his Hyundai was a f*****g Ferrari. And look at all the rioting we did after that sh**? All for Rodney's black ass. We should have saved some of that rioting for New Orleans.

"This administration was color blind in its incompetence". Wrong again Barack, I don't think they were color blind at all. Color is all they saw. That's why the frat boy did a fly over instead of going in amongst the... ahem ahem, natives.

But good speech Barack, you are that much closer to getting the field's vote for President. Its just too bad that you probably lost a few million in the process.