The Train Daddy is once again rolling out the station and ready to hit you in the mouth with sports knowledge in a sexy kind of way. So come aboard and take a ride on a Train that has been giving you sports knowledge for a solid seven years.

Last issue we broke down the Tennessee Titans and the upcoming season, so we’ll keep that at bay this issue, even though I could talk Titans talk all day; can’t wait for kickoff! Typically when deciding what I am going to discuss for an issue, I attempt to stay away from what’s being beat to death over and over on ESPN. But with the recent leaked audio of Donald Sterling making racist comments, it is an intriguing subject to discuss: racism in the sports world. Racism can be a touchy subject, yet a more simple conversation than discussing politics or religion when in a group setting.

It’s stories like this that captivates the media and a country full of opinionated people, stories like the supposed racist Redskins name. You have a franchise that has deep history and roots, and decades of loyal fans. This country can be ridiculous at times and people get butt sore way too easy. Pretty soon the Dolphins in the ocean will begin to shout racism, then the Falcons, Eagles and Seahawks will group together in the skies and riot. We don’t live in a perfect country, but we do live in a country where it is possible for anyone to be successful. The problem with America is fat laziness, people who want to be given stuff rather than work for it, no matter what color you happen to be. Until this country gets back to people realizing hard work will reward you, certain people will always cry racism. Granted, the comments made by Donald Sterling were offensive and hands-down inappropriate and racist, but one man’s ignorant comments don’t define a country.

Here is a current story involving racism in another country: in an all-too-common expression of racism in Europe’s soccer leagues, Barcelona and Brazil fullback Dani Alves responded to an opposing team’s fan throwing a banana at him while attempting a corner kick this month. Dani coolly peeled the banana took a bite, threw it down and kicked the ball. He stated “You have to take this backwardness with humor.” Europe’s soccer league has had many past issues with opposing teams chanting monkey noises at players, and throwing bananas. The league has fined certain clubs, but the incidents don’t show any sign of stopping. Later a teammate posted a photo on Instagram of himself and his son both holding bananas with the hash tag reading #weareallmonkeys. This started a hash tag frenzy of support for Dani Alves with celebrity soccer players also taking pictures with peeled bananas. I respect Dani Alves and the way he handled this. Pretty much, he stated some people won’t change, why get up in arms about it? He makes humor out of what some would make violence out of.

So what did the owner of the LA Clippers say? The audio released of a conversation involving the 80-year-old owner and his gold-digger girlfriend has generated a frenzy of conversation. Donald, arguing with his girlfriend, told her not to bring her black friends to the games, and then he stated he feeds and clothes his black players when no one else would. Then there was talk of black Jews being treated like dogs in Israel, and that the black Jews were inferior to the white Jews. To me, it sounds like an old man having a ridiculous conversation even if he believes that or not. I have read reports that he recorded hundreds of past conversations because he had a problem with remembering what he said. Sounds like a case of being old and, yes, racist. So, the NBA decided his penalty. The new commissioner of the NBA, Adam Silver, has banned Donald for life from the Clippers organization and fined him the maximum amount of $2.5 million. Yikes! He also stated he would urge the board of governors to force Donald to sell the team.

Donald Sterling and V. Stiviano

I am sure more will come out of this story as the weeks go by, but for now I’m working with the knowledge I have. The man was in what he thought to be a private conversation, and this audio unwillingly was released. Many people despise this man and agree with the ruling and some will cry for the First Amendment and freedom of speech. The First Amendment doesn’t really apply here; the First Amendment allows freedom of religion and speech against the government, and being an employee of the NBA as an owner, they do have the right to do this. If I was the commissioner I wouldn’t have punished Donald this way. I would have agreed he said some awful racist things, but I would have let his punishment play itself out. The future would have been tough for Donald, losing sponsors, no respect from players or coaches and the media bashing would have eventually taken it’s toll on the 80-year-old owner. I get that the NBA has to protect its product, and the NBA is bigger than one team or owner, but there is something that feels wrong to me about the commissioner’s ruling. I see an old racist man who went on a rant in private, it was leaked, and now he is being forced to sell what is his, because people disagree with his racist remarks. The new commissioner hit hard on the league’s longest tenured owner. Originally, Donald bought the team in 1981 for $12 million. If he is forced to sell he will make quite a profit; according to Forbes the team is valued at $575 million. The commissioner stated he will personally lobby the league board to force the sell, and a three-quarter vote by the other 29 owners is needed to push the commissioner’s penalty through.

So watch what you say people, everything goes public these days.

We are a long way away from the days of Jackie Robinson and the beautiful story that surrounds him; we have come along way. But in my opinion, since the beginning of time there have been and always will be people that who hate anything that is different than what they are accustomed to. We live in a world now where people get too upset by comments made by other people, and when things have gotten much better, it’s still not good enough for some. I personally ignore any hate thrown my way, and people with strong souls do the same, it’s the weak people crying about every story that arises, my personal opinion though.

Here are some past moments in sports history that caused a racist stir. In 2003 the late defensive star Junior Seau was asked how he planned on stopping star running back LaDainian Tomlinson in an upcoming Monday Night Football match. Junior replied the only way to stop him is to feed him fried chicken and watermelon. The comment caused a stir, and later Junior and Tomlinson stated they were great friends and that’s how the joked with each other, even though many other people were not amused.

In December of 2012 ESPN commentator Rob Parker took shots at RGIII after the star African-American quarterback stated he didn’t want to be defined personally or professionally by his race. Parker, being African-American as well, didn’t like the comments stating RGIII is not down with the cause. The most infamous moment came when he called the quarterback a cornball brother, defined as an African-American who chooses not to follow racial stereotypes. Parker listed Griffin’s conservative views and marriage to a white women as evidence of being a corn ball brother. Parker, being a moron, was ultimately fired by ESPN, and good riddance. Griffin, being a smart man, knows race should play no part in what kind of man he is defined as.

Another example of race in sports took place in 1997, when Tiger Woods was fresh onto the golf scene. After winning the masters in a surprising victory, fellow golfer Fuzzy Zoeller made some controversial comments to the media. In a long tradition, the winner of the Masters gets to choose next year’s championship dinner and Fuzzy had some input. He told the media to tell Woods, “Congrats and enjoy it and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year. Got it, or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve.” Fuzzy lost most of his sponsorship after that and later apologized to Woods for his comments.

One of the most famous of racist remarks comes from John Rocker, the former Braves pitcher who was interviewed by Sports Illustrated in 1999, when asked if he would ever consider playing in New York. He stated he would retire first before sitting on trains next to queers with AIDS or thugs in and out of jail, women with four children, it’s depressing. Then went on rambling about how many foreigners are in New York, stating “How in the hell did this many get in the country.” Rocker, once expected to have a promising career, was out of work in four years; obviously a very hateful man.

People have different backgrounds, different perspectives, different upbringing and stories. Hatred towards an individual because of race is awful and there is no place for it anywhere, but we as a country need to stop being so sore at every comment some ignorant person makes. There will always be racists out there coming from all races, and like RGIII said, he doesn’t want to be defined by his race, he wants to be defined by the man he is. I couldn’t agree more. Hopefully other people will realize this and people will stop worrying about other people and focus on making their own, their family’s and there friends’ lives a better place, rather than worrying about what a select few bigots have to say.

Out the station. Choo choo!