Smerlas comments on Sports Final

[PATSNUTme]

My 2 cents:

1. I know Smerlas casually. IMHO, he knows nothing about the game of football beyond defensive line play and lockerroom politics.

2. Personally Fred isn't a racist, but his simplistic brand of radical consevativism causes him to label people indiscriminantly and that by definition causes him to say racist things

BOTTOM LINE: If you are listening to Fred Smerlas for insightful football or political commentary, then you are going to the wrong place. Fred is a characterture (sp?) He has a role that he plays on radio. In real life he's a decent family guy, who WAS a bully in college, so that tends to come through, much like DeOssie

This is being beaten to death. Yet, you just labeled the guy in your statement. Can you cite one or two "racist" things that he has said?

Being a racist is one of the lowest forms of human beings. I don't like to see people throw that around without any examples of how someone is a racists. It seems like you and some others equate being a conservative politically as being racist. If that is how you and others draw your opinions, that is very wrong.

I hate to see that being brought up on the football forum. I did call Danny Boy a bigot because he used the term "Jew Owner" when talking about Bob Kraft. He also jumps on every thread about Bob Kraft and trashes him. He was given every opportunity to explain himself, take comment back, apologize to any posters here who happen to be Jewish and he has repeatedly refused to do so. With him there was overt act that leads me to consider him a bigot.

Yet in this case, no one wants to cite even one racist remark that Smerlas has made. But, they want to call him a racist.

 

[RayClay]

I skipped a few posts that got repetitive, but here's my take.

Meriweather was worked mostly at corner, so where does Smerlas get all this info about his ability to play safety?

He is fast, Smerlas says he's slow. Based on what?

Smerlas is not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. Where did his expertise on secondary play come from?

Smerlas certainly seems to have an agenda here.

Could that come from Meriweathers actions in that riot?

I don't think posters speculation about that is unwarranted.

 

[rabthepat]

IMO he is a racist. And an idiot to boot.

J D Sal

"Racist" seems a little harsh based on the comments listed above. If you just throw that word out anytime someone upsets us it diminishes the meaning of the word. Save it for guys like Nazis and Klan members.

 

[BTTA]

Fred is a racist and because of Meriweather's somewhat thug reputation coming from U of Miami, of coruse it will be an opportunity for Fred to find a conventient black man to pick on. Being a first round choice, Meriweather is the perfect target with some light on him in which Fred can veil his comments.

J D Sal

Boy, you like to play with fire. You can be sued, and lose, for calling someone a racist in public like this. You don't have a right to express your opinion under any circumstances; all of our rights are curtailed and in balance with other rights. When it comes to civil rights issues, things get very sensitive.

Also, if this conversation led to someone committing and act of violence against someone else, due to emotional upset connected to your comments, you could be held partially liable for that.

You have no idea how serious calling someone a racist is in this country.

 

[Bertil]

"Racist" seems a little harsh based on the comments listed above. If you just throw that word out anytime someone upsets us it diminishes the meaning of the word. Save it for guys like Nazis and Klan members.

If he did that he would've had to think of something to back up his ridiculous claim. That is an act that seems unlikely, given the tone of the responses so far.

 

[PatsWSB47]

"Racist" seems a little harsh based on the comments listed above. If you just throw that word out anytime someone upsets us it diminishes the meaning of the word. Save it for guys like Nazis and Klan members.

Isn't obvious? Smerlas doesn't like Merriweather becasue he's black. He likes Gay, Hobbs, Sanders, Harrison, Samuel and Wilson because they're white.

 

[pats-blue]

Boy, you like to play with fire. You can be sued, and lose, for calling someone a racist in public like this. You don't have a right to express your opinion under any circumstances; all of our rights are curtailed and in balance with other rights. When it comes to civil rights issues, things get very sensitive.

Also, if this conversation led to someone committing and act of violence against someone else, due to emotional upset connected to your comments, you could be held partially liable for that.

You have no idea how serious calling someone a racist is in this country.

Well you have realize that earlier he said 90% of court cases are not decided by FACTS (which is true, but is NOT the idea behind our legal system but has been perverted by lawyers apparently like this poster)

I like how several times also in this thread this "poster" saying in "his opinion" Smerlas is a racist, yet time after time he says Smerlas IS a racist but doesn't see the difference in those two statements. Not suprising though for someone who can't come up with any "facts" to back up such srong words.

If this was a fight on the street he would be yelling at his "opponent" from about 1/2 mile away.

If I had such a low opinion of someone (a racist does not get much lower in my book) I would have remembered SOMETHING that caused me to think of someone in such an exstreame way.

I do find that people who scream racisim the loudest have the most bigotry in their hearts in reality.

 

[mgteich]

Please stop inserting any rational points into this discussion! They are out of place.

BTW, I have been reading JD's posts for years, and I have concluded that he is gay and a Yankee and Jets fan.

Isn't obvious? Smerlas doesn't like Merriweather becasue he's black. He likes Gay, Hobbs, Sanders, Harrison, Samuel and Wilson because they're white.

 

[mgteich]

Or perhaps he has been disappointed with Meriweathers' progress. Or perhaps he has heard from others that have been disappointed with his progress.

I have not read this entire thread because it devolved into an is he/isn't he racist thing, and I want no part of that beef.

That said, when we drafted Merriweather, he called him the next Ed Reed. So he either has memory probems, or he flip flops more than a politician.

 

[PF1996]

Boy, you like to play with fire. You can be sued, and lose, for calling someone a racist in public like this. You don't have a right to express your opinion under any circumstances; all of our rights are curtailed and in balance with other rights. When it comes to civil rights issues, things get very sensitive.

Oh really - Do provide the law(s) under which a person who expresses an opinion that another person (a public figure at that) is a racist can be "sued and lose". Particularly when it's OBVIOUS that it's an OPINION and when there is no reasonable basis to presume that anyone exposed to this opinion would accept the opinion as fact. Feel free to support your claim with actual cases that replicate this situation (i.e. where someone who expresses an opinion that another is a racist has been sued and lost). Guess DaBrunz should contact a lawyer for calling JD a POS and those who accuse Democrat officials of being "terrorist supporters" should also do the same.

Also, if this conversation led to someone committing and act of violence against someone else, due to emotional upset connected to your comments, you could be held partially liable for that.

Right - certainly explains the many "hate" websites out there. Guess the people who run and post on those sites aren't aware of these laws. How about giving an example...

You have no idea how serious calling someone a racist is in this country.

Really? The prevalence of racists and racism in America certainly contradicts that opinion. A racist is simply someone who believes that race is a determinant of behavioural and other nonphysical characteristics - and such a belief is held by the vast majority of Americans, not just "Nazis and Klan members".

 

[Water Boy]

Break it up already! Save it for the game.

 

[Patjew]

I hear Smerlas call Merriweather a "Jew Safety".

 

[JDP111]

Listen to Smerlas all the time, not sure he is a "racist", but is more of an extreme right winger who is not very tolerant of anyone who does not feel the same way. He is a big flag waver, on a big Harley.

It's called a bigot. Smerlas needs to tuck his little figaro chain back into his gumba shirt and stop being such a know it all.

 

[letekro]

Yes, I've heard of the First Amendment. I referenced it. You clearly missed it. See, the 1st Amendment does NOT protect you from the repercussions of your voicing your opinion. And that is what so many people FAIL to understand. The first Amendment protects your right to have an opinion and to voice it. But, if its inflammatory, then you are responsible for the repercussions. Any good lawyer will tell you this.

Funny, I thought I was a good lawyer. Clearly, I was mistaken.

Thank you for educating me on the finer points of Constitutional Law. You should consider teaching the subject when whatever third-rate organization employs you welches on your pension.

 

[FirstAndGoal]

It's called a bigot. Smerlas needs to tuck his little figaro chain back into his gumba shirt and stop being such a know it all.

Yeah, except he's not Italian, he's Greek.

 

[JDP111]

First, and foremost, if I felt that someone was a racist, I wouldn't be listening to them. Regardless of what they do. And I sure wouldn't listen to them for 10 years.

Secondly, if it was me, I'd have examples that I could pull from memory to support my claim that the guy was a racist. I wouldn't make the statement without having some support. And, in this day and age, anyone knows that you need to have a good foundation for an argument of that volatility.

Third, its well known that people from the media (Reiss, Breer, Casale, etc) come to this forum. They find many fans to have good insight and we've earned their respect. When someone comes out and makes an unfounded comment like JD did, it takes away from the credibility of the whole board, whether we like it or not.

Lastly, if I had read/listened to someone for an extended period of time and formed an opinion on them, then I'd have examples to support that opinion. I wouldn't hide behind some lame excuse of "not having a notepad to give examples." No, I don't think its plausible that one wouldn't have examples unless one suffers from long term memory loss. That is a coward's talk. That's someone who just wants to bash another person for the sake of bashing them. Not because they have anything relevant to bash them on. Had JD just bashed Smerlas on his statements, and not thrown in the BS about Smerlas being racist, I wouldn't have had any issues.


I may be wrong at times, but I am willing to admit my mistakes (Caldwell, Dillon). And, generally, I don't hold onto my opinions as if they were worth more than gold unless I know for 100% certainty that I know I am right. And there aren't enough instances of that. The only things that I know for a certainty is that everyone's body dies and that the various governments will take 20-50% of my earnings during my lifetime and waste 25% on their inefficiency and another 25% on people who abuse the system.

Get off your horse.........And your example of opinions juxtaposed with gold makes no sense at all. If it's fact it's no longer opinion. You off that high horse yet? Tell Fred I said hi. . . . . . ."I,I,I,I,I...." don't you get tired talking about what you would/do do?

EDIT: I just read that last paragraph. Your cliches are so redundant that you owe me something for reading them.

 

[JDP111]

Yeah, except he's not Italian, he's Greek.

Who said anything about nationality? Gumba is an adjective pal. Check your self analytical stereotyping before you get smart pal.:bricks: Get him a gyro and a spanakopita.

 

[cubedoggy]

I second Spacecrime's motion. Except for the rare football posts, this thread don't contribute anything useful to patsfans.com.

Third.

 

[BTTA]

A couple of things seem to be missing in people's consideration of Constitutional rights. First of all, rights are not absolute, but exist in a dynamic tension with other people's rights, legitimate public interests, and governmental interests. Classic example--free speech and the absence of a right to shout "fire!!" in a crowded theater.

Secondly, most of the constitutional protections are about what the government can or cannot do to you, and not about what kind of relations exist between private citizens. This is not entirely true (for example, the oft-repeated saw "your right to express yourself ends where your fist touches my nose"), but is a good guide for thinking about constitutional issues. Always ask WHO is allegedly violating rights--is it a governmental action, or a citizen?

So, given the two points above, ask yourself what kind of rights does an individual have when they are publicly accused by another individual of something? And what kind of rights does an individual have to accuse another in public? When that accusation can do the accused person harm? (and if the person is a public persona, accusing them of something always does them harm - the issue is how much).

I do wonder why people are getting so worked up about Constitutional rights, when it seems that so few people are actively challenging what seem to be clear examples of governmental encroachment into areas of traditional personal liberty and civil rights. And rarely do people balance out their claim to a "right" with an acceptance of a responsibility, despite the fact that neither can exist without the other. To me, this just screams of an entitlement mentality, and I wish that said people would spend a few years in almost any other country on the planet to gain some perspective on the human condition.

J D Sal could probably actually do something to reduce racism and bigotry, as well as more to advance his own rights (and those of his fellow citizens) if s/he channeled all this energy into actively working for political change, better understanding his/her actual rights, and then acting constructively to challenge those who set and promulgate related policy and attitude.

I wish I could post this without it bumping to the top of the topic list.

 

[E Belichick Unum]

IMO he is a racist. And an idiot to boot.

J D Sal

Since I know Fred pretty well I can tell you that you are wrong on both accounts. Freddy says what he feels is right, not what he is expected to say. Agree or disagree with him, but don't talk BS when you have no idea what you are talking about.