Today is the day. This is the day that Braves fans have had on the calendar since Rocker's remarks that were published in an SI article late last year. Rocker made reparks disparaging on New York City and various minorities. I in no way condone what Rocker said about minories, especially the remark he made against Asian women drivers (I was dating a Thai girl at the time) while on Georgia 400. However, I don't know a person who has driven in Atlanta and not said something they didn't mean.
The fact is, many people here in the Atlanta share Rocker's sentiments relating to New York City and its people. New Yorkers have shown time and time again how degenerate they are. They love to denigrate those of us here in the South, but I have never been at a sports venue in the Deep South where people are throwing batteries or beer bottles AT PLAYERS ON THE FIELD!!! Here in the South, we take our college football very passionately and we have passionate feelings against our rivals. I hate the Florida Gators and Tennessee Vols with great passion. However, I have never seen Bulldawg, Vol, or even Gator fans behave like those degenerates in New York. I remember a few years back in a game between the Giants and Steelers where Giant fans pelted the Steeler sideline with dangerous iceballs. A seventy-year old trainer with the team was hospitalized. This is civilized behavior? During the 1996 World Series, Yankee fans pelted our outfielders with batteries! This is civilized behavior? We in the South don't think so.
Some have critized the fact that Rocker will need extra security when he is in New York. He only needs that security because of how New Yorkers behave. That kind of security is not needed in Atlanta. Georgians are not like New Yorkers. We are civilized. Besides, with how often I have seen New Yorkers cheer drug abusers, child molesters, and other degenerates, they have no place to critize John Rocker for saying what he said.
Do Rocker's statements reflect the feelings of most people in the New South? No! Certainly not. However, it is equally clear that we here in the South are clearly more tolerant that New Yorkers and mooning fans in Los Angeles. I hope Rocker gets four saves this weekend. After all, when it comes down to it, we should be talking about the fact that the two best teams in the National League have a critical mid-season four game series. This is far more important that what a hot-headed reliever from Macon said to a reporter. Go Braves and go Rocker.
Read this story on Fox News.
Another story in the local Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Story on cnn.com (also an Atlanta based media outlet)
Read the story that started it all.
Click on the rabbit to tell me what you think.