You probably know that I am a huge baseball fan and that my favorite team is the Atlanta Braves. This has been a tough week to be a Braves fan. They did not play well in their just concluded weekend series against the St. Louis Cardinals.However, the biggest news concerned the behavior of pitching coach Roger McDowell. According to witnesses MC Dowel threatened a fan in San Francisco and made homophobic comments to the man and his family as well as dropping several curse words in the presence of the man's children.
He has been suspended by Major League Baseball for two weeks without pay and fined an undisclosed amount. This news article explains in greater detail his actions and the punishment.
Now, for your assignment. After reading the article, do you think that coach McDowell's actions were appropriate? Is this punishment fair, or too harsh? Should he be punished at all? After all, Don't we live in a country where free speech is a right? If you were the Commissioner of Baseball, would you have punished him or not? If you punish him, what punishment do you give him?
As you can probably guess, I have some strong feelings on this issue. After all the replies have been posted, I will let you know what I think would have been an appropriate penalty.
27 comments:
I think Mr. McDowell’s actions were inappropriate. He shouldn’t make remarks at fans that come to support him and his teammates. If I was the commissioner I would’ve gave him a punishment too. I would’ve suspended him from the team and take him to a counselor until the counselor told me that he has improve from his behavior. Hopefully when he get back on the team, he will have a much better attitude.
After reading this article, I don’t think the punishment they gave McDowell was harsh. He rightly deserved it. You should always think before you speak. Apparently he forgot to do that. Hopefully there won’t be another incident. It’s nice that he sincerely apologized, to not only the family but to everyone else. If I was the commissioner of Baseball I probably would have done the same thing.
I think the punishment was just right. I think that he should have maybe been punished for longer. I know we have freedom of speech but he is a public figure to many people. He is a role model to children also. If he sets that example for children, they will go around saying comments like him.
I don’t think his actions were appropriate at all! I don’t think you should do that to anyone no matter what you’re mad about. I think he does deserve the punishment he is getting, and I think he is lucky that he isn’t getting a longer punishment. We do live in a country we’re you get freedom of speech, but some things just shouldn’t be said out loud. I would have punished him, probably for a longer period of time, but I would have made him pay his fine and suspend him for longer than he is getting.
I don't understand why he threated that kid. I believe in freedom of speech but threating a kid that is a bit much. I don't if 2 weeks is too much or to little. I hope the player well say he is sorry to the kid.
I think he should be suspended. This comment is completely wrong because he threatened another person and said a horrible comment about gay people. He has fans no matter if there gay or not, He lost a lot of fans because of this. Now there are going to be protesters and a lot of people mad at him. He had a reputation when he was younger and they should of just banned him earlier, truthfully the braves could use another coach anyways.
I think he should be suspended. This comment is completely wrong because he threatened another person and said a horrible comment about gay people. He has fans no matter if there gay or not, He lost a lot of fans because of this. Now there are going to be protesters and a lot of people mad at him. He had a reputation when he was younger and they should of just banned him earlier, truthfully the braves could use another coach anyways.
I think that coach McDowell's actions were very inappropriate, and that his punishment was fair. I think that he was punished not for the sole reason of what he did, but to show people that the MLB won't let that happen again. They want people to feel safe and secure without any harrassment from the actual teams and coaches when they go to games. In my opinion the punishment is right, and I would have given him the same penalty.
Keith Bryant: Well in the fact that no one knows what caused the coach to lash out, I feel that had should be taken into consideration. On the other hand what he said was hurtful and not appropriate for the situation. Yes he should have penalties against him because he was definitely wrong in is manner.
Two weeks isn't really enough because of the man's choice of words. He should have respected the children's presance. They probably had many questions about what was said. Atleast a month should be great enough punishment.
I would totally give him punishment. Even though we live in a free country I think that is so ruded and he needed to keep his thoughts to himself. The man's children didn't need to hear what that man said. My punishment to him would be not letting him play baseball nor coach it for a mouth or two.
I think his actions were in appropriate. I think the punishment was a little harsh. I thought it was funny when I read it.
I think that should still get paid even though he is suspended. He deserved to get suspended because he shouldn't have cursed in front of children. Even though you have freedom of speech you still have to control what you say.
I think that Mr. Dowell’s actions were very inappropriate. I don’t think that Mr. Dowell had to make those inappropriate actions towards 4 men. If I was the commissioner I would have given him more than two weeks suspended.
No his actions were not appropriate. Punishment is fair because he cursed. If I was a commissioner of baseball I would kick him off the team.
I would have suspended him to. All actions have a price to pay. I don't think two weeks was enough.
I believe Mr. McDowell's actionas were entirely inappropriate. I believe that two weeks of suspension is a just punishment. At any job, especially one so public, you have to maintain a degree of professionalism.
McDowell's actions were rude and inappropriate. Those kinds of remarks shouldn't be made at his fans. If I was the commissioner, I would fire him.
Cody Barlow
I think Mr.McDowell's actions were inappropriate. We do have the freedom of speech in this country but that freedom has limitations. He should most definitely be served some type of punishment for what he did.
Yes, free spech is a right. But that also does not exclude him from being so harsh in front of children. We may say whatever we like around other adults as long as it doesnt invlolve the kids. Children are the future and if we have 7 years olds swearing like sailors, then who is to blame? The only people you can, either the parent, or yourself. Right now, it seems this player should be blamed for his actions and the punishment does somewhat justify his actions. I say he should take an anger management course as well, in case something should "slip out".
I think that his remark to the fan was not nessary. I know the game gets tense but that was a little to far. I think that he should get suspended for it, not knowing what made him react the way he did he should recieve a second chance.
To speak your mind and speak freely is one thing. But to make such a gesture to a man in front of his children is very inappropriate in any situation. Most things for that situation need to be kept to yourself and not spoken to anyone else out of shear respect. If the MC Dowel had any respect for any baseball fans, or people in general, he should learn how to control his temper and his language. I think the punishment wasn't enough. Those children will never be able to get the image of a famous baseball coach cursing at their father out of their minds. That is very permanent. And so his punishment should fit the one that he had given those innocent children. He should never play, or coach for that matter, on a baseball team ever again.
Elizabeth
Wow that just immedeatly upsets and angers me. Only two weeks? Really? Not even a close enough punishment. That was the dumbest and most underthought choice of words and gestures chosen. He deserves far longer to be suspended from MLB. The fans come in to enjoy a game and support your teammates and this happens? Just uncalled for and should take counseling and classes to set his act straight with or without an apology to everyone.
I think McDowell shouldn't have made those remarks. I think the punishment is reasonable because he should be a role model to the young baseball players and others. Yes, we have freedom of speech, but it is somethings we don't say.
I think his actions were in appropriate. I think they took it a little harsh. I thought it was funny when I read it.
Coach McDowell's actions were very inappropriate no matter what the situation. With the salaries and prestige associated with Major League Baseball, he appears to not understand what opportunities he has. He should have been fired for his actions!
This was an extremly rude and unesseary action by this coach, what he did should never happen. In the article they said that this type of behavior is not allowed in general, so since he violated these rules, he in my opinion shoulld be fired. Although we do have the right to free speach, we also have the responsibility to use that power correctly and respectfully and he did not. If I were the commishiner I would deffinatley relieve him by fireing him and find someone who is not going to embarass the team to take his place.
Post a Comment