Ducks Sued for Anti-Semitism by Former Draft Pick

[sleepwalker 512]

Well...him going out and sueing them right away isn't really disproving the whole "jews are all about money and lawyers" myth...

(Its called a joke, people. No hatemail, please)

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

This kind of thing has been going on since Jesus Christ was a rookie; it still doesn't make it all right to do it.

[Electrophile 3,554]

There are a lot of things that happen in a hockey game that for good reason, cannot happen in the real world. For example, I cannot walk up to someone, give them a dirty look, and then shove them into a wall. It's not acceptable to jam your neighbor in the stomach with the stick end of your rake because he insulted your wife's petunia bushes.

Someone point out to me where though, inappropriate comments about a person's religious background are an acceptable part of the game. Would you ever hear of Nick Lidstrom saying stupid crap like that? Probably not, and he knows hockey more than any person posting here.

I'm not saying this kid should go through with the lawsuit, because he shouldn't. This isn't lawsuit worthy. That doesn't mean however, the coach should be let off the hook. You say something dumb like that, you face the consequences.

[eva unit zero 271]

The deal is - it's an ECHL team, and not a Fortune 500 company...Not saying it's perfectly fine for what remarks the coach made, but it's pretty obvious alot of things are said, and done in a hockey rink that you wouldn't hear outside of one, or in some other work place.

The thing is, Bailey was an employee of an NHL team, not the ECHL team.

[drwscc 212]

I think if he's trying to take some action against the coach/organization and get some changes made, that's honorable, and it's good he's taking a stand.

However, if he's just trying to get money from the organization/team then I don't get it. Not sure how he was monetarily hurt by some words.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

There are a lot of things that happen in a hockey game that for good reason, cannot happen in the real world. For example, I cannot walk up to someone, give them a dirty look, and then shove them into a wall. It's not acceptable to jam your neighbor in the stomach with the stick end of your rake because he insulted your wife's petunia bushes.

Someone point out to me where though, inappropriate comments about a person's religious background are an acceptable part of the game. Would you ever hear of Nick Lidstrom saying stupid crap like that? Probably not, and he knows hockey more than any person posting here.

I'm not saying this kid should go through with the lawsuit, because he shouldn't. This isn't lawsuit worthy. That doesn't mean however, the coach should be let off the hook. You say something dumb like that, you face the consequences.

yea but im sure avrey has said some things like that and he knows more hockey then anyone on here. knowing hockey more then the next means nothing. From what i have seen people post that have played higher level hockey (not nhl) have said that they hear and see bad stuff all the time. that it is norm. Stuff being said you would never say to someone just walking down the street. but i do agree he shouldn't do the lawsuit. changes to be made...yes i believe they do need some. but to get money out of this because someone called you a name or said something bad about your religion? geez go to the political thread..you could sue everyone in there for money if thats the case. hahaha

[Hockeytown_Ryan 119]

Friggin' Je......... Ahhh I better not...... Ill get mindfly'd

All jokes aside.... I feel that maybe he was too sensitive about it ...But I guess it depends

How long it went on for too.... every now and then is one thing But everyday all day is another.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Hockeytown_Ryan

[TheXym 2,606]

I've met Jason Bailey a few times since he's come to Binghamton. The times I've seen him play he was decent. I will say I honestly believe the suit is being brought to change things rather than just being a money grab. He's a definite class act with the fans. A friend of mine is on the B-Sens fan advisory board and says he's always among the first to step up for community relations work and is a real stand-up guy. My daughter and I went to a game and they had a meet the players event afterwards. Even though we were both rocking the Wings jerseys he was extremely friendly. The following weekend we went to a game in S-WB and he was a scratch and sitting in our section. He remembered us and came over during intermission to say hello and chat with the rest of the family.

In any case If the comments were made they were wrong and that mindset of allowing them in the workplace needs to end. Period.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

yea but im sure avrey has said some things like that and he knows more hockey then anyone on here. knowing hockey more then the next means nothing. From what i have seen people post that have played higher level hockey (not nhl) have said that they hear and see bad stuff all the time. that it is norm. Stuff being said you would never say to someone just walking down the street. but i do agree he shouldn't do the lawsuit. changes to be made...yes i believe they do need some. but to get money out of this because someone called you a name or said something bad about your religion? geez go to the political thread..you could sue everyone in there for money if thats the case. hahaha

Right on, hillbillywf. And I am certain that what some folks post there they would never say face to face with the person they are "debating" with. Never. I guarantee it.

Edited January 27, 2011 by HOCKEY MATTERS

[eva unit zero 271]

yea but im sure avrey has said some things like that and he knows more hockey then anyone on here. knowing hockey more then the next means nothing.

Being good at hockey doesn't mean you 'know' hockey in any particular sense.

[Guest Crymson]

Lol. Well played.

The coach never made the remarks towards the player. The player was never called anything. How does one even compare this to the Holocaust? That's quite the leap. And I'm guessing the kid sucking (in regards to being a pro) well before he even came to the Ducks has everything to do with the kid not advancing and nothing to do with him being Jewish.

Anti-Semitism is a very common thing, and it's dangerous. I'll note again that YOU have never had to deal with it. The coach demonstrated quite plainly his bigoted views, and it's entirely possible that this fellow's playing time and whatnot were affected by the coach's bias.

That said, go join a people who have been viciously victimized and persecuted for the last two thousand years and then come and tell me that the bigotry involved shouldn't be taken seriously.

[Nev 1,085]

Really? C'me on now...Lets use this with any other bullied group and see how motivating it is:

Fags are only interested in ass pirating and spreading HIV

N#ggers are only interested in Grand theft auto and watermelon

You get my drift here. Any usage of someone's ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, culture, religion ect in the workplace is off limits. If the guy worked for a fortune 500 company and his boss said this s*** to him, the boss would be fired and the company sued. "Hey Johhny, you little ***, go take your *** ass and get some work done" is not a motivator...Its bullying.

I am tired of making excuses for people that allow others to try and bully or intimidate people that are in the minority. The kid shouldnt be painted as the bad guy here because the incident should not have happened. I know people can say "its hockey...grow some balls" but this type of intolerance is exactly why Iginla, to this day still hears the N word and why people like Theo Fleury do not speak publically of abuse they indured because sport is a culture of intolerance.

I never said I approved of it, I said that is what it might be. And if you think this kind of thing isn't said all the time in proffesional sports (and in the military) you're living in Fantasy Land. I agree that in a normal workplace this kind of thing would get you fired, but the locker room and the barrack room are not normal workplaces. And I guarentee you, Mike Babcock has said things to Redwings players that would get you fired in an ordinary business.

Getting in someones face and screaming obscenties is not acceptable in a normal business - in hockey its a prime motivational technique.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Anti-Semitism is a very common thing, and it's dangerous. I'll note again that YOU have never had to deal with it. The coach demonstrated quite plainly his bigoted views, and it's entirely possible that this fellow's playing time and whatnot were affected by the coach's bias.

That said, go join a people who have been viciously victimized and persecuted for the last two thousand years and then come and tell me that the bigotry involved shouldn't be taken seriously.

No, I never have had to deal with be Jewish. I bet this kid has never had to deal with being black. They get it way worse in North American than Jews do, and I haven't seen a black athlete sue their coach. And just cause I'm not Jewish, doesn't mean I can't empathise with him. You're probably not Irish or else you'd know our history and know about the Irish genocide from Queen Elizabeth and her successors.

What the coach said was wrong, and he and his staff manned up and apologized and ceased with their bigoted remarks. The team could have fired him, but a player suing his old coach because he was racist is just asinine.

Edited January 27, 2011 by Konnan511

[Joey v3.4 45]

He had the option to leave the hostile environment. I get a little tired of this constant litigious over-reaction to practically everything.

It makes me

Constant Litigious Over-Reaction? You mean like when this guy actually tried to sue the ice cream truck driver, lol.

Ice Cream Truck

Or how about the snotty old hag who became a millionaire because her coffee was hot when she spilled it on her bat cave.

What ever happened to good old fashion duels?

[Konnan511 1,736]

Constant Litigious Over-Reaction? You mean like when this guy actually tried to sue the ice cream truck driver, lol.

Ice Cream Truck

Or how about the snotty old hag who became a millionaire because her coffee was hot when she spilled it on her bat cave.

What ever happened to good old fashion duels?

Don't forget about the dude who bought all those Mountain Dews to gain enough points to buy a fighter jet that Mountain Dew jokingly said was worth a billion points or something ridiculous in a TV ad. The guy sued them for false advertisement...and won.

[Guest Crymson]

Don't forget about the dude who bought all those Mountain Dews to gain enough points to buy a fighter jet that Mountain Dew jokingly said was worth a billion points or something ridiculous in a TV ad. The guy sued them for false advertisement...and won.

I think you're comparing two incomparable cases.

That said, I think that this thread really should be moved to a subforum that is not hockey-related.

No, I never have had to deal with be Jewish. I bet this kid has never had to deal with being black. They get it way worse in North American than Jews do, and I haven't seen a black athlete sue their coach. And just cause I'm not Jewish, doesn't mean I can't empathise with him. You're probably not Irish or else you'd know our history and know about the Irish genocide from Queen Elizabeth and her successors.

What the coach said was wrong, and he and his staff manned up and apologized and ceased with their bigoted remarks. The team could have fired him, but a player suing his old coach because he was racist is just asinine.

It's interesting you mention black athletes. If any sports coach were bigoted against blacks, he'd last pretty much no time at all, given the huge percentage of professional and collegiate sporting figures that blacks make up.

The coach were forced to apologize for making the comments. They kept the views, no doubt, and I've little doubt that said views affected how they treated the player. If the Ducks were serious about fixing this nonsense, they could have simply gotten rid of the coaches immediately. I'm confident that if the coaches had made comparable statements about blacks, they'd have been knocked out of his position very quickly.

And for the last time, the player is not suing the coach for making anti-Semitic remarks. He is suing the organization because he feels that the coach's bigotry led to discrimination in a professional setting. What about this is so difficult for you to understand? Are you given to making strong arguments before even reading and understanding the subject material?

Edited January 27, 2011 by Crymson

[Original-Six 254]

The Ducks should be sued for wearing that monstrosity of a jersey.

[Wing Across The Pond 196]

Can't we all just get along?

I concur.

It's always a slippery slope with things like this, I think it was wrong to say what he said, but at the end of the day the player in question is now out of that organisation. I don't quite agree with people saying that he needs thicker skin but then have nothing against them voicing their opinions. It's slippery in the way that if we all say people can't use offensive language, etc (just as a topical example), then people are always going to come down on either side of "right" or "wrong". If we say that someone is wrong for their opinion on a matter then it starts off a whole new argument.

[Joey v3.4 45]

Don't forget about the dude who bought all those Mountain Dews to gain enough points to buy a fighter jet that Mountain Dew jokingly said was worth a billion points or something ridiculous in a TV ad. The guy sued them for false advertisement...and won.

That is kinda valid, IMO.

Sure, the guy was a moron for trying it. But they DID offer that as a promotion. To me, that's almost a valid lawsuit.

If I collected a billion mountain dew points, I better get at least some kind of jet. Or a mini helicopter or something.

If nothing else, that guy must have had kidney stones for years....

Edited January 27, 2011 by Joey v3.4

[55fan 5,133]

What ever happened to having respect for the beliefs of others?

What ever happened to censoring yourself and taking your "audience" into account?

What ever happened to common decency?

Have we really gone so far with Political Correctness vs the false notion that "Freedom of Speech"= being able to say anything you want without caring what others thing and not be criticized?

My mom used to sum it up in two words: Be Nice.

Discussing and sharing one's beliefs is fine, and can be enlightening and beneficial. Having beliefs pushed on you is not, whether it is pro-<insert specific belief> or anti-<insert specific belief>.

On the other hand, the advantage of people being able to speak freely is that we can note who is a jerk (or worse) and avoid that person.

I don't think that suing is the answer, but it's a little late for anything right now.

[Wing Across The Pond 196]

Not trying to hate on North America, but boy you guys love to sue. Just a cultural attention grabber with this. Suing isn't as bad over here, even if it is on the rise. My friend lives in France, with a cousin in San Diego. This cousin got into a fight - his parents were going through a divorce and was pretty ticked off at the time - it was just an outlet for his aggression really. The boy he fought, tried to sue and impose a restraining order. He would then kick and scream for a teacher when the cousin passed him in the corridor, claiming "He's breaking the law, get him away from me". Incidentally the judge actually never accepted the lawsuit for its trivial nature. Like 55Fan said, don't think suing is the answer. Stupid move in my opinion. Just name and shame and they wont be getting any work for a LONG time

EDIT: SP

Edited January 27, 2011 by Wing Across The Pond

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

Being good at hockey doesn't mean you 'know' hockey in any particular sense.

Eva...I'm sure you have to "KNOW" hockey to play it. How would you know which way to skate or who to pass it to..or what position to be in so that others can pass it...and so on. If you dont' know the sport you don't play it. Thats common sense.

If you think that Avrey doesn't "Know" hockey then you don't "know" what you are talking about.

[eva unit zero 271]

Eva...I'm sure you have to "KNOW" hockey to play it. How would you know which way to skate or who to pass it to..or what position to be in so that others can pass it...and so on. If you dont' know the sport you don't play it. Thats common sense.

If you think that Avrey doesn't "Know" hockey then you don't "know" what you are talking about.

Who knows hockey better, Wayne Gretzky or Scotty Bowman? Bowman knows more hockey than everything Gretzky knows combined.

How about Ken Holland or Garth Snow? Holland, easily. But Snow was an NHL starter at one point in his career, while Holland was a minor leaguer who was lucky enough to play a few games in the NHL.

Knowledge affects performance, but performance does not determine knowledge.

There could be someone here who knows more hockey than Nick Lidstrom, but has a muscle disorder or something. There's more to it than brains, as much as brains mean.

[Konnan511 1,736]

What ever happened to having respect for the beliefs of others?

What ever happened to censoring yourself and taking your "audience" into account?

What ever happened to common decency?

Have we really gone so far with Political Correctness vs the false notion that "Freedom of Speech"= being able to say anything you want without caring what others thing and not be criticized?

My mom used to sum it up in two words: Be Nice.

Discussing and sharing one's beliefs is fine, and can be enlightening and beneficial. Having beliefs pushed on you is not, whether it is pro-<insert specific belief> or anti-<insert specific belief>.

On the other hand, the advantage of people being able to speak freely is that we can note who is a jerk (or worse) and avoid that person.

I don't think that suing is the answer, but it's a little late for anything right now.

Better to remain silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

nm

Edited January 28, 2011 by hillbillywingsfan