LETTERS: FANS WILL DECIDE ABOUT JOHN ROCKER

To the editor:

A few months ago John Rocker of the Atlanta Braves made some ignorant statements that appeared in Sports Illustrated that were wrong. The fallout of those pearls of wisdom was a media frenzy to see if they could squeeze any more salacious ethnicity bashing junk out of this media darling and a public outrage, particularly in New York. Rocker joined the club of the unwise before him a la Jimmy "The Greek" (CBS football analyst, made racist statements, fired), Al Campanis ( L.A. Dodgers, infamous Ted Koppel interview, racist statement, fired), Ben Wright (CBS golf analyst, insensitive lesbian remarks, fired), Marge Schott (Reds owner, numerous crazy remarks, suspended) ... .

Some people want Rocker banned from baseball, fined and deported. Others might suggest we just kill the man. Major League Baseball suspended him and fined him, but an arbitrator came in on behalf of the player's union and got the suspension reduced significantly. Now the uproar has begun again about how the Braves should trade or release him and how he got off scot-free.

Again, he said some pretty bad stuff, but is it really necessary to treat a grown man like a child and fine him or put him in time out for saying naughty things about gays, immigrants and people with purple hair? Does anybody really get that distraught over what a professional athlete says? Did anybody get so offended that it temporarily or even permanently muddied their self-concept by his referring to one of his teammates as "a monkey"? Did Rocker do anything like get involved in a nightclub stabbing and then lie to police during questioning to protect his associates or become a suspect in the death of a child-bearing woman? He is guilty of speaking callously and in poor taste not the best way to ingratiate yourself with others, but nonetheless legal.

Rocker's punishment officially began the second that magazine hit the presses. From now on those statements will brand him a racist no matter how much contrition he shows or how many denials he spits out like a broken record. He will be verbally stoned by every ballpark so badly that you might want to throw some earplugs on the children's ears, because it'll be plenty loud and filthy. The Braves would like to deal him, but the conditions of such a trade would involve multiple players with Rocker inexplicably jumping (being thrown) from the plane en route to his new team in the fine print which isn't legal contractually or anywhere else. He's so globally despised now he probably couldn't get selected in a neighborhood pick up game of whiffleball.

Those ridiculous quips from a good ballplayer -- and a really good meatball -- who nearly set the Braves season record for saves last year will cost him millions of dollars in the long run and will tarnish his entire career and life regardless of his on field achievements. The jury that will ultimately decide his fate are the fans, as it always is -- not Major League Baseball or the Braves -- when it comes to laying down the truly debilitating sentence of public retribution and condemnation.

THOMAS EDWARDS

Cape Girardeau