Willie Randolph and The Death of the Race Card
May 23, 2008
Current Mets Manager Willie Randolph has found himself in a bit of racial controversy this week when in a recent interview with Ian O’Connor he questioned if black managers and coaches face double-standards in media criticism before later apologizing “for the unnecessary distraction”. In doing so, Randolph became the perfect candidate, and best possible laboratory experiment to discuss the true meaning of the phrase: “The Race Card”. But before we move forward, we must first go back.
Randolph and reliever Goose Gossage were my two favorite players as a young eight year old rabid Yankee fan. I tried to mimic Willie’s steady batting stance and Goose’s wild pitching style. When Goose, Reggie, Mickey (Rivers) and Craig Nettles all departed for new teams in the 1980’s. Willie was undoubtedly MY GUY. He was “the glue”. He was always among the league leaders in on-base percentage while ”setting the table” for Don Mattingly and Dave Winfield, and taking extra pitches so Rickey had more chances to steal second. He was a 6-time all-star, could turn a double-play as well as anybody, and did ”all of the little things” to make a team win. While still playing it was often remarked by coaches and announcers that he would one day become a manager.
Randolph was the one steady influence that was free of controversy on a team that was dubbed “The Bronx Zoo”. Through the crazy Billy-Reggie-George “Bronx is Burning” soap opera of the 1970’s to the continued insanity of the 1980’s (see Steinbrenner-Winfield feud; Billy-Ed Whitson Brawl; Mattingly long hair fiasco, etc.), Willie survived it all and was respected by all. In 1986, Willie’s leadership skills were rewarded when he was named the Yankee co-Captain in 1986 — the first ever black man in Yankee history to have the official or unofficial title (Derek Jeter has since become the 2nd).
On the subject of race, if Randolph felt that there were double-standards applied to black ballplayers, he publicly kept them to himself. In 1988 racial controversy found Randolph when Dave Winfield came out with his autobiography where he claimed that Randolph once said that a black player could be “a good Yankee” but never be a ”true Yankee.” When pressed by media, Randolph denied the claim, and George Steinbrenner call Winfield a “liar” amongst other things. What seemed more plausible is that Randolph did make this claim, but Winfield broke personal confidence. For his part, Winfield responded to Steinbrenner: ”Willie and I are teammates and very good friends. If this is an attempt to put a wedge between players on this team, it won’t work.”
In fact, it was hard to put a wedge between Randolph and any teammate as he transcended baseball cliques. A revealing moment came August 31, 1997, the day Don Mattingly had his Yankee number retired. From Mattingly’s personal guest list[1] that day there was only one former black-teammate on hand: Willie Randolph. Mattingly credited Willie as one of the players that he ”learned how to play from”. While Donnie Baseball was getting his number retired just two years after playing his last game, it took Willie 11 years and 4 Yankee championships before getting a managerial shot with the New York Mets in 2004.
While others jumped ahead in line to receive managerial jobs around the league, just like his entire career, Randolph never complained. However, amidst an avalanche of recent media criticism these last few weeks, in this interview with Ian O’Connor: Randolph questioned: the passive way in which the local Mets network chose to film Randolph and why traits often admired in the calm, cool and collected likes of Joe Torre are portrayed as flaws with him… “Is it racial?” Randolph asked. “Huh? It smells a little bit.”
When O’Conner asked him directly if he believed there was a double-standard for black managers, Randolph said: “I don’t know how to put my finger on it, but I think there’s something there. Herman Edwards did pretty well here and he won a couple of playoff [games], and they were pretty hard on Herm. Isiah [Thomas] didn’t do a great job, but they beat up Isiah pretty good. … I don’t know if people are used to a certain figurehead. There’s something weird about it.”
Soon announcer Joe Morgan wondered: “If it’s Willie’s fault on the other side of town, why is it not Girardi’s fault on his side of town?” In “Why Does Everyone Hate Willie Randolph” The Big Lead nicely parallels Jim Leyland’s last three years to Randolph’s juxtaposed to fan/media reaction. And this author would have no problem writing a media compare-contrast in coverage of Isiah Thomas vs. Scott Layden, Herm Edwards vs. Eric Mangini, or ESPN ’s mocking depiction of Randolph vs. white managers with comparable records. But that is for another article for another day. This issue goes far far deeper than whether you agree with Willie or not.
So? What does the average ESPN watching sports fan think of Mr. Randolph’s assertion? Here are, in order, part of the first eight replies that can be found in ESPN conversation in what resulted in close to 1000 overall comments:
–”mhfroning: “Willie, it sure sounded like you played the race card to me…”
–pioneersandsparks: “Willie played the race card alright, just like Dusty Baker here in chicago, whenever it gets tough let’s play the race card…”
–Soar14: “atta boy Willie… when all else fails …THROW THE CARD!”…I wanna puke now.”
– football351986 “when in doubt just use the race card. it should be good for… another 100 years.”
–spinjamin20 …And playing the race card in this situation is just an ignorant statement at best.
–snappy452 …Way to go Willie, you have officially lost my support. Now I hope they fire you…”
–scowar71 “…Typical…does this really surprise anyone? The more clowns like Randolph cry wolf, the less people listen. It’s gotten to the point now where whenever I hear anyone throw the race card I know they’re either guilty or are grasping at straws. Pathetic”
–StreizedUpFromTheFeetUp “Definitely played the race card, although he was just speaking with emotions at the time. He knows he is wrong for doing that.
Now let’s recap: For his entire career Willie Randolph plays by all the “race rules”. He is respected by his peers, routinely credited for his “professionalism” and often cited for being “a class act”. So what kind of currency does such a past get you? And what does 30 years of biting your tongue afford you? And what kind of reaction does your very first public suggestion of racial bias garner?
It gets you called ”pathetic”, “a clown”, a fraud, a fake, and a phony. You are playing an underhanded game of cards instead of actually diagnosing a injustice. You have gone from being “respected Randolph” to “Slick Willie” after one sentiment that wasn’t palatable to your previous adoring fans. To suggest that Randolph is “playing a race card” is the very height of audacity — WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH HIM OR NOT.
MESSAGE TO ESPN COMMENTERS and ALL WHO SOUND LIKE THEM:
YOU are the problem. Because if a bias claim by Willie Randolph will not give you a moment to pause for some racial reflection, then you are incapable of ever pausing at all. And frankly, that makes you an arrogant pompous ass. And probably a racist one too. No, not for disagreeing with Willie, but for not even allowing his claim to go to a fair trial. But your reaction to Randolph tells us just as much about the phrase “The Race Card” as it does you.
Willie exposes the phrase for what it really is: A BIGOTRY SHIELD. A defense against any and all claims of racial bias instead of the rare bogus ones. “The Race Card” phrase is an absolutely brilliant and insidious strategy to keep racial bias alive and well in America. Instead of curing the disease, let’s just refuse all attempts at diagnosing it! Instead of considering the message, let’s just kill the messenger! Instead of promoting an honest and complex discussion, let’s just reduce it to a game of Three-Card-Monte.
One one hand, the source should never ever matter whenever truth is being spoken. On the other hand, Willie Randolph has done us a useful service by uncovering the cards of all who reflexively yell “race card” on a dime. See, you can’t dismiss him as a “race hustler” the way you routinely do Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. You can’t blame his personality like you do Barry Bonds as the cause for unfair media treatment. And you can’t blame “hip-hop culture” as Willie is over 50 and turning sweet double-plays before the Sugar Hill Gang ever hit the pop charts. Nope, all the usual lame excuses you use to diss and dismiss claims at racial bias have been removed — and, once again, you and your game have been exposed. As well as the truth that:
The Race Card is Dead.
Game Over.
———————————
[1] It is possible that other black teammates were invited, but did not attend. Dave Winfield was the most glaring abscence of the ceremony.
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29 Responses to “Willie Randolph and The Death of the Race Card”
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MODI - articles like this one are one of the reasons that I keep coming back.
Willie is right. Black managers and coaches seem to routinely get less time and more venom spewed at them if their teams aren’t doing better. I didn’t hear any calls for the “Man-genious’s” job after they had a losing record last year. Jon Gruden is not having people calling for his head even though Tampa Bay has been mediocre the last couple of years. All Tony Dungy did was turn them into a winner and keep getting them to the playoffs. Oddly, it seems that the quite black men that don’t speak up get picked on more than anyone else. Of course, if a black man speaks up, he’s going to be labeled combative, and probably not get alot of jobs.
I’m not in New York, but from what I’ve read, there’s no organized camp trying to get Joe Girardi fired. I was a big fan of Girardi the player, and thought he got a raw deal with the Marlins. I was hoping he could turn the Yankees around. But, you’d think with all the success that Torre had in NY, that you’d hear for more folks talking about Girardi’s job than Randolph’s! Isiah got ridiculed while John Paxson gets a pass.
Everyone on SOMM has touched on ESPN and the mainstream media before. One of the biggest problems is that most of the management and talent look and think the same. I appreciate the few voices on ESPN that can/are allowed to speak up like Steven A. Smith. The problem is, there are too few. There’s always a sort of conformity at a workplace, particularly in a tight job market. It seems @ ESPN and in other big sports media that conformity is the rule, rather than something that just happened.
It is inevitable that Randolph would slip up and let his true feelings show.
One can only play the good negro for so long before the truth slips out.
Didn’t take long to get back on message.
and the beat goes on…
Nice one, MODI
Well, what did you expect, MODI? Besides the fact that lots of digitized bigots will login under different names to try to fan their racist flames, most White folk are long since tired of the Race Card Brushback play.
Most bit their tongues while ROOTS played in the 70s but since then the b
lacklash has grown louder and stronger with each cry, “foul!” If you’re gonna “go there,” come frickin strong with overwhelming evidence, or don’t bother coming at all. That’s the only way to penetrate those defensive reptilian brains. And even then. Recall that even that wrinkled, loudmouthed, nappy-minded broadcaster had his public defenders.Lookit, the only way to play things, in my books, is to come strong with a pile of obvious evidence — no weak shit — or do it Obama-style, which is not to react to the bullshit and keep pressing for excellence. Write your book long after you’ve retired (hope I live long enough to read Obama’s memoirs, or have it read to me). We haven’t overcome the whole mountain yet. We’re not yet allowed to fail in equal measure.
Modi - great article, I was hoping you would touch on this subject with Willie.
Anyone who commented on ESPN or any other blog or site…has no idea what its like for Willie to be a black man managing in NY. I do believe that ihis color is held against him, which is a shame.
Charles
As a black man, I’m tired of having to be held to a higher standard than white people. That’s it, I’m just tired. I understand that’s reality, I understand that’s the game, but I’m still tired. Like MODI said, and I wrote in one of my blogs, if a black person who plays by every single rule can’t earn the right to speak their mind, then no black person can earn that right in most white people’s minds.
No matter what type of evidence you present, no matter how “hard” you come, the response is going to be the same. To these white folks, they are the only reputable sources when it comes to pointing out racism, black folks just can’t be trusted.
So, I’m tired of trying to meet some higher standard. That bar is impossible to reach.
Big Man, as a Black man, I hear you. It’s exhausting. It’s completely unfair. And it’s the incredible burden so many barrier busters have had to bear, generation after generation. I hear you.
I just don’t think it helps us to make a whole lotta noise about bullshit w/o clear and obvious evidence. The climate for understanding is hardening, it’s spread broader somewhat, but I don’t think it’s sunk in any deeper.
We have to show our superhuman restraint for a long time before they get that we’re actually just as human. Do you think Obama could be one scintilla less than he is now and still have a shot at the white house? No. We have to be frickkin near blemish-free, tongue-severin demi-gods for a good epoch before they’ll allow us to have foibles.
The impossible is our only hope.
Big Man,
Exactly right. It’s is impossible to reach because the bar keeps moving.
It’s old, but Le Anne Schreiber made a nice similar point here about “white fatigue” as an excuse to avoid racial issues: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=3345832
MODI, Nice read. I agree with everyone, we’re in a no win situation.
It’s a knee-jerk reflex: black athlete, coach, or writer brings up issue that racism just might still exist, lot of white people on the internet and in the media get huffy and pout. You’d think after a while that you might wanna go get that checked out.
Great post, Modi. Where to nail the problem on the head. Most of these people don’t even want to talk about the problem, just pretend that it doesn’t exist. It’s pathetic. I prefer bigots who at least try to argue or defend their points to these make-believe-everything-is-perfect fools…
SML, I used to go to battle in ESPN conversation with all the bigots and retards, but the shit just wore me the fuck out. Most of these brains simply could not be penetrated. Better just blog about the shit and mayber reach some of the middle of the road minds who may also be biased, but more open to logic and reason.
Imhotep, correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t I seen your name going to battle the bigots too at ESPN?
that’s it exactly, MODI. you will drive yourself absolutely barking mad trying to “reason” with these fukwits. and then where will we be without you?
alls i’m sayin is no half-steps, no teasy jabs, no gaping holes in your dee with this stuff, you gotta bring it like a ton of bricks on the temple (evidence-wise) or just save your precious breath. in this battle there is no such thing as a tko.
p.s. I’m quite convinced that half the game with some of these digibigots is to say stoopid shit to get us all huffy and crazy thereby to foment more white backlash. It’s a friggin tactic.
Charles, I think you’re on to something.
Sometimes, when they say the stupidest sh*t, I ignore them. It pisses them off and they say it louder. I move on. They can hunker down in their tiny world while while the universe expands. That my coping tactic.
Then again, I’ve been known to smack a mofo upside the head.
Folly, I didn’t weigh in on your critically important discussion with Big Man because, in the end, it is very much a personal choice. The strategy that you laid out might be the most “strategic”, however, I cannot begrudge anyone who wishes to speak the simple truth without having to add an excel spreadsheet next to it. In actuality, I believe both approaches a re necessary with some more effective depending on the situation.
As for me personally, I tend to fall on the more “strategic” side of things, but to be perfectly honest, it is probably because I have that luxury. If I had to live with racism on a daily basis, knowing my personality, I’d probably be a Raving Black Lunatic.
And if you didn’t get the reference, that is the name of Big Man’s blog. A wonderful political/personal blog that is worth visiting. Oddly enough though the name is a misnomer as Big Man’s logic is anything that resembles lunacy… Check it out: http://www.ravingblacklunatic.blogspot.com/
MODI is cool.
Yeah, I’m a sucker for a link.
Nice work my man. You’ve stated exactly the idea and goal behind the phrase and whenever it’s pulled out as a weapon I turn it around as quickly as possible.I never let it go by
Charles is definitely on to something. I mean, think about how even the KKK in Indiana (this is the one historical example I’m familiar with) would try to pile up a laundry list of supposed wrongs against whites in other places (but never actually observable by the members in a given town), thus firing up their members and justifying various outrages. No matter how radical, respected, or ridiculous the group is, it can justify itself by supposedly coming up with a long list of how it is ignored, persecuted, or not respected. Even the Patriots when they were undefeated were still mouthing off about respect if I recall, correct?
The problem is, this has Balkanized (and I mean that quite literally, because this is what they’ve done in the Balkans) public debate. How can I ever criticize your group for anything if you’re going to pull out a list whose first entry is dated 1903?! It’s completely ruined any sort of accountability, and with the absence of a clear moral standard, we’re reduced to playing a bizarre game of see-saw where the group able to show the greatest weight of injustice wins and the group that lost stores their loss as an injustice for next time. It frustrates me to no end, and that’s why I’m a big believer in absolutes, wrong-is-wrong-no-matter-what thinking. We’re being hammered by the exception to make us feel guilty for having rules, and it’s ridiculous!
Great piece!
It amazes me the amount of criticism both Randolph and Manaya get from the NY Sports media.
For the many years that the Mets were an incompetent franchise lead by Steve Phillips (talk about White Privilege!) or the brainless Art Howe, the sports media here gave them a pass. They were like one of the boys.
Given Randolph’s tenure in NY as a ballplayer, a coach and a manager I just don’t get it. Everything about Randolph exudes nothing but class.
There are some valid criticisms of Randolph (or any Managers) of on field decisions, but they should stay between the lines. I hear them from my Met fan friends all the time. It is unfortunate that some of their legitimate criticisms allow the digibigots to come out in droves. It’s as if it is impossible for someone with as much credibility (and restraint) as Willie to even speak about the realities of Race, Media and Sports with out being drowned out by shouts of “he’s playing the race card”
BTW Willie has been my man since battling Dave Cash and Rennie Stennett for the second base job with the pre- “We are family Pirates”
MODI, Once upon a time I would go into the espn blogs, but those ignorant mothafukas are not worthy of my energy. The high levels of mindless casual hate being spewed by the respondents was too much for a brotha. For me to keep dealing with those fools, I would have to question my sanity.
OOO, great to see you check the new site. Your wisdom has been missed! Yeah, Art Howe and Steve Phillips… the glory days!… And the only thing about Rennie Stennet is that he went 7 for 7 one day… still the record… Also, how did Doc medich work out in that Randolph trade?
MC, I’m of the opinions that bigots will always find a reason when their equality is threatened. The birth of the KKK was a direct response to advances made in Reconstruction. Today we are seeing both Obama running for president AND a significant rise in hate groups. Hate groups believe that the Jena 6 was a hoax today. Bigotry will always find its excuse or manufacture one if necessary…
Imhotep, glad to see that you chose the samity route
kevdog, congrats on your Lakers…
MODI- As a Puerto Rican New Yorker, I applaud this piece. Taking it one step further, the Mets fans are a racist bunch and this is coming from a Met fan. The New York Met organization had 1 Puerto Rican All-Star (Roberto Alomar) on it before Omar Minaya arrived to run the show. They had NO DOMINICAN ALL-STARS on it before Omar Minaya arrived to run the show. The last 2 statements don’t span 5 years. It doesn’t span 10 years. It doesn’t span 15 years. It spans for the entire history of the Mets. The previous Met ownerships festered this culture by not bringing these dominant Latino players. It was a travesty. Willie has every right to hammer the Met fans as he did. The slurs I used to hear tossed at Armando Benitez were disgustingly vile and had nothing to do with baseball.
If you listen to all the nonsense in the NY media today, you will hear the racial overtones of both the fans and THE ACTUAL MET PLAYERS regarding the racial make up of the team. All you had to do was listen to Paul LoDuca last year and Billy Wagner THIS YEAR!
I think Willie has to go, but I commend him for making the statements he made. I straight up called the Mets a RACIST ORGANIZATION for creating a lie in 2000 which led to Alex Rodriguez not becoming a Met. A-Rod was destined to become a Met, but I fully believe the Met organization didn’t want a Latino being “the face of the organization” as they say today. The Met further solidified that belief when they failed to trade for A-Rod during the offseason of 2003-2004. Believe what you want, but one thing is certain. The anglo/racist Met fans will start to point their finger at Omar Minaya next. They have been chirping when the Mets were WINNING. They called Omar a racist for bringing in “too many Latins” while totally forgetting the anglos Omar has traded for.
Jimmy, yeah, the Mets history prior to Minaya has always been pathetic. Even in the 80’s when they were great, they would usually only have a black player if they were a superstar. About Minaya, when he brought latino players over, thats when the Mets soared and all the questioning of Minaya was complete bullshit. If a white GM brings a bunch almost an entire roster of white players — and underachieving white players at that, they will never be questioned…
I remember Lo Duca last year, but not Billy Wagner this year..
MODI- Wagner basically said the same thing LoDuca did. What’s the difference except for the “they speak English too” portion. I was SICKENED by the fan reaction over Minaya’s recruiting of Hispanic players. They just happen to be the best players on the planet currently. Any complaints about Minaya’s recruiting policy is created by racist fans. There is no if ands or buts about it.
Jimmy, I disagree with Wagner. Granted he was reported as pointing over to Beltran and Delgados locker but by no means did he mean anything racist with it. He was just upset with no one answering questions could have been Wright or Church there.
Also, all of Nelson Figeroua starts at Shea, Wagner offered up his suite for Nelsons family. I do not think Wagner is racist. Just frustrated.
AGS- Wagner directed his frustrations at the Mets who don’t talk to the English speaking media. What the Post, Daily News and the rest of the WHITE media don’t tell you is the Hispanic Mets speak to the Latino media that follows the team, while not offering anything to them of substance. Wagner mouths off and directs his venom at the Latinos. Either way, it doesn’t look good and it DOES sound LoDuca-ish.
ESPN is a joke. The comments don’t surprise me at all. I’ve been reading the comments section for a while now and its gotten worse.
Nice site. As a black man who’s also a long suffering Phillies fan, I always thought the Phils were the only NL east team with a history (albeit much longer than the Mets) of fielding lousy teams with bad to mediocre Anglo players.
If Willie Randolph is having trouble in Queens, New York, I can only imagine the level of vitriol the Philly media would spew at a black man the Phillies hire as manager.