On Saturday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published a column by Gene Collier in which he lambasted Steelers safety Anthony Smith. Collier noted that Smith celebrated after a hard hit on teammate Hines Ward in practice, and he referred to Smith's behavior as "thuggery." Smith's teammates and coaches are not pleased with Collier's choice of words. Coach Mike Tomlin condemned Collier's column, and Steelers safety Ryan Clark was even more critical:
Clark felt the need to preface his comments with, "not to bring race into it," but I don't have any problem with him bringing race into it. Although the dictionary definition of thug is simply "a cutthroat or ruffian; a hoodlum," the term has taken on a racial connotation, especially in sports, that is distasteful."Not to bring race into it, but is it because he is black that these acts are called thuggery?" Clark said. "Because a man has tattoos or may play a certain way, it doesn't make him a thug."
I don't know Gene Collier, but I do know he's one of the most respected writers in Pittsburgh, and I have no reason to think he's racist. But I do think that was a poor choice of words. Just because Smith doesn't always play the game the way Collier thinks he should, that doesn't make Smith a thug.
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Gene Collier didn't call Smith a thug, he described his actions as thuggery. There is a difference. If a white player on the team did the exact same thing as what Smith did, then the white players behavior would be described as thuggery. Blacks aren't the only people who are thugs, so when you describe actions as thuggery it shouldn't automatically jumped to a race thing. Collier could have definately chosen his words better, but what he said wasn't racist.
Would you like butthead better? maybe idiot...how bout jacka$$..are those colorblind enough for the pc crowd?
Yep
Seriously? Are you friggin' kidding me? Can we round up the PC Police and execute them finally?
Absolutely ridiculous. Instead of being mad at a journalist for using a word, how about they be mad at their thug teammate for laying out one of their star players in practice.
So sick of racial oversensitivity.
Collier didn't call him a thug, he described some aspects of his behavior as thuggery. Not racist, stop whining. Ryan Clark's quote is pretty dumb about playing a certain way doesn't make you a thug. So your actions don't make you a thug Ryan? Then what does? Moron.
I would think things that are actually crimes, like assault or selling drugs or something, would make you a thug. Not cheap shots on wrs. That just make him a dumbass and an annoyance who needs to be cut if he can't figure out his job is to make sure no one gets behind him, not head hunting our top wr in a training camp drill.
Ugh I really can't stand Smith, but I can see why Clark would think thug was the wrong word, but since he said thuggery and not thug it's moot.
I guarantee you that Anthony Smith is a thug!!!
Bill Romanowski was a thug... I guess that statement makes me a racist.
Ryan Clark is a pitiful dufus... I guess that statement also makes me a racist.
Everyone is so GD sensitive! Grow some nutz and take the criticism. What he did was wrong, who cares what you call it. And the only reason words take on a racial undertone is because journalists like you endorse the ridiculous idea. Sorry, I typically enjoy reading your articles but this is absurd.
I'll bet if he'd used the word asshat, his editor would not have approved. So, thuggery it became.
I'm with ya Brodie. I too am so sick of this PC crap. If people don't like how someone chooses to exercize their right to free speech then they are free to leave this country.
While I respect Clark's desire to stand up for a fellow player, I cannot respect the manner in which he has chosen to do it. These guys are in the public spotlight, and they will get criticism from time to time. To call it racisim is a cheap and unthinking response, trying to intimidate the writer. Writers are paid to write in an interesting manner, and they use a wide variety of words to do this. Sometimes it doesn't come out as hoped. So what! That's life. Remember "sticks and stones...?" Calling Smith a thug may actually be kinder than just pointing out how STUPID he is.
And so it begins:
Pittsburgh has long been a town of equals among men. Most Pittsburghers take that concept seriously. As one of the most highly-educated and integrated cities in America, Pittsburgh is generally a basttion of reason in a PC-mad world.
Until now.
I've had my doubts about the political/social positions of some of the players and staff on our current team. Now those doubts are being lent credence. For Clark to even remotely imply race as an issue here is ignorant, to say the least. Almost as uneducated and grammatically errant as that whole "niggardly" episode in VA a few years ago. Just because you disagree with a word or wording doesn't make it "racist" or even wrong. Niether "thug/thuggery" nor "niggardly" have a single thing to do with race. They are nothing more or less than adjectives which describe actions. Period.
Before now nobody ever thought of accusing anyone in the Pittsburgh sports community of racism. The Rooneys are even the architects of NFL Affirmative Action coaching policies! Slipping into that quagmire now is a tragedy beyond belief, IMHO.
As soon as anybody starts playing the race card he victimizes himself and his peers. He takes his own actions and ability to control his destiny out of his hands and gives that power to everyone else. A man who becomes a victim makes himself helpless.
What's more- i SERIOUSLY doubt ANY player in any sport today has any clue what "racism" is. There hasn't been any real racism in American sports in decades. Maybe rare instances, but certainly nothing systemic. If these kids want to see racism, send them back in time to the early/mid 20th century. What about the struggles of early NFLer's? Ask Doug Williams about the struggle. I bet he knows prejudice.Or Randall Cunningham. Or Jim Brown. Or all the other black players who struggled against real prejudice, threats to their lives, or injury to their family. Not "being called a name i don't understand".
Tomlin complaining about "racism"? That's rich! Hah! Mr. Affirmative Action!? I, personally, no longer have any respect for him. He should have stayed out of it. Period.
And Collier is right: plowing your own teammate in practice IS thuggish. It absolutely is an action reminiscent of the violent, senseless behavior of the historical Thugs of India who were noteworthy for excessive and counter-productive violence. But knowing that would require a historical awareness, which is obviously missing.
What a shame the ignorant actions of ignorant men have to tarnish such a sterling organization.
THANK YOU for a wonderfully written post. Its about time someone spoke out and told the truth.
Pittsburgh = "one of the most highly-educated and integrated cities in America?" HAHAHAHAHA OH MAN THAT IS HILARIOUS...GO MAKE SOME STEEL U DIRTY PIECE OF GARBAGE!! YA WHEN I THINK OF S.H.I.T.S.BURGH I SURE THINK OF THE WORLD GREATEST MINDS LET ME TELL YOU...PSSSSSFFFFFFFFTTTTT HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Just to clarify:
Mike Tomlin had barely been an NFL coach 3 years when hired. He'd NEVER held a head coaching job in college, nor even been a coordinator in eaither case. How he "qualified" as Pittsburgh's head coach is beyond me.
Oppose Tomlin's sketchy "qual.'s" to people like Romeo Crennel, Lovie Smith, Tony Dungy, Mike Singletary, Art Shell etc who've all had long, illustrious careers in coaching. No comparison IMHO.
Tomlin is a flash-in-the-pan. He won't last. Even though i'm a diehard Steeler fan i can't imagine this guy being around more than a few years. I personally hope not. He tries to say the right things, but deep down i don't believe he's in the same league as a Mike Singletary, coaching-wise.
Of course, i'm limiting my references here to black men, because of the topic. And- i DO think there are problems with the head coaching position in the NCAA, so i'm not blind to reality by any means. But players in the NFL are a LONG way from being "persecuted" or "misjudged" as a result of race.
A jagoff is a jagoff, blue, brown, black, white, yellow or orange.
Well written tdk but your list of "illustrious coaches" seems a bit of a stretch. The Rooneys trusted Dungy's evaluation as part of the process to determine Tomlin's readiness to be a head coach. Art Shell was never anything special. Smith constantly takes heat for his handling of the Bears QB situation. Crennel has the trendy team to pick but his QB and his team folded down the stretch last year. Singletary has never been a head coach and his qualifications are hardly head and shoulders above Tomlin's. Tomlin is a young coach and he no doubt would have handled this differently if he were a veteran. He will learn just as every other coach who's spent any time in this League. Beyond Dungy, to speculate that these other guys would have handled this better is a matter of opinion not based in fact. Time will tell if he's a flash in the pan but I have a hunch your dislike of him has it's roots elsewhere and not his reaction to the media and their account of another ignorant move by Anthony Smith.
I always think it is ironic that people are so sensitive about other people being so sensitive about race issues. Just mention the possibility of racism and a blog that rarely gets more than three replies will be filled with bozos complaining about the pc police and the race card.
See I told you. I feel the same way Anthony Smith feels. As an African-American I to felt very uncomfortable with the term "thug". It just goes to show how white people can say whatever they want and the true colors they in fact show. But you white devils always catch yourselves caught handed. If you white devils would just be honest, and admit you really dont want a black coach either or a Preident that is black. You people are so hypocritical about everything. Now how does that feel!
I am sure that Gene Collier meant to say that celebrating a hit on a teammate is considered a move by a thug. Just like when Manny Ramirez hit a fly ball into the outfield and he stands at home plate to admire his hit he is considered a showboat. Ryan Clark in the words of Dr. Debi Thomas "It is a nice show chill out." Freedom of the press is in the constitution.